Wings
by Galadriell
Summary: After Sirius' death, Harry has changed - physically, emotionally, and magically.  Then came Draco...  Harry/Draco SLASH! COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters, I just manipulate their thoughts.

-x-

"Just leave me alone for one minute, is that fuckin' too much to ask?" Harry yelled and stumbled out of the Gryffindor common room. Ginny and Hermione's insistent voices were ignored as he stumbled out of the door way and furiously walked. Harry was flushed with anger, his hands shaking. He raced down his tower, blindly pulling open doors and pushing past people. He promptly exited the castle and sprinted towards the lake. When he reached the edge, it was all he could do to stop from jumping in and taking a deep plunge in the cold water. He stood still for a moment before crumbling to his knees, his palms pressing into his stinging eyes. He was all out of tears but that didn't stop him from dry sobbing.

He couldn't stand the sympathizing stares, the pitying faces, and the terrified looks of the people around him. Sirius was dead. _NO, he was murdered_. Harry was chocking with emotion when he felt the hate well up inside him. He punched the muddy shore with his hands and let out a roar, filled with pent up emotion. His shoulders shook with emotion as he hung his head down, staring blandly at the water in front of him. The calm waters showed a rippling reflection of a young man, face contorted with pain and anguish. Green eyes pierced through the water, never wavering. His deep brown hair covered the shocking scar on his forehead. Harry hardly recognized himself when he noticed his considerable bulk that had been added on to his body in the last few days. He had grown several inches, his shoulders had broadened, and his body had hardened with muscles. His face lost all signs of boyish charms and was replaced by the strong face of a man, with sharpened cheekbones and a more pronounced chin. _At least my eyes haven't changed, eh Mum? _Harry unconsciously touched his new scar on his arm.

_I tried to save you, Sirius. I failed_. Harry groaned and shut his eyes, trying to block the image of his godfather's death. But shutting his eyes made the image seem real. He watched as Bellatrix Lestrange uttered the Killing Curse, saw Sirius' astonished face staring at Harry. He remembered the slight assuring smile on Sirius as he fell backwards through the veil, and was gone. He simply left Harry. Harry couldn't run up to Sirius, he couldn't lift his wand to curse Lestrange; he couldn't do anything as he had fallen on the Ministry floor, screaming noiselessly. He could still feel the fever that had burned through his body when he had struck the cold stone floor. He had felt pain shooting from his arm and quickly spreading towards his heart. He had wanted to die. He couldn't handle the physical or the emotional agony until blissfully he had slowly lost control of himself and stopped fighting against the dizziness that threatened to swallow him whole.

_Fuck, control yourself, Potter_. Harry shook his head clear as the anger slowly ebbed away. Control… Something Harry had had to learn quickly after the night at the Ministry. The two days after the incident had been pure torture for Harry and he couldn't remember most of it. He had been restrained at all times, his hands and feet firmly tethered to the hospital bed. He thought back to the pain in his muscles as he had morphed painfully. He had never felt so helpless before; he had felt himself being ripped apart. He vaguely remembered the Mediwizards repeating the same words over and over again into Harry's ear. _Control it._

Harry knew he was supposed to die. He had wanted to give up so many times. Dumbledore recounted that Harry had stopped breathing over four times in the course of two days. But Harry's thirst for revenge seemed to have kept him alive. He knew he was the only one who could kill the one person who had started the madness enveloping the world. _Voldemort_. Harry turned away his disgusted face. Harry knew that the reason he was still alive was because of the Dark Lord. Harry owed a debt to all who had died and knew that he was the only one who could bring peace to his friends. He had fought against the darkness for two days before emerging from it.

Harry recounted the morning when his head had finally cleared from the torment. He had wrenched opened his eyes when sudden clarity struck him, causing him to lash out and scream one last time before he had folded onto the inviting bed. He had felt as though his body and soul had finally decided to come together after a seemingly endless struggle. He could finally feel the cool rush of air flowing through his body as he breathed heavily. He could finally hear himself think, feel emotions other than pain. Harry finally felt human after two agonizing days in the realm of insanity. He had heard relieved sighs and comforting words around him as his senses returned to him. As soon as the restraints fell away from his body, bodies rushed to him, hugging, kissing, and offering him support.

Guilt sprung up on Harry when he remembered that moment – Hermione's teary face, Ron's pale and shaky smile, and Dumbledore's twinkling eyes. _I'm such an ass…_ Harry thought glumly as he pushed himself up. He mentally straightened his emotions and pulled his head up to look into the sunset. _I need to focus on here and now._

With a deep breath, Harry turned around and strode back to Hogwarts. Towards his home and his friends.

-x-

**A/N**: Ooh la la, me likey. This may be a rather long and tedious story. I have some of the chapters planned out in my head. I really wanted to make Harry more of a man than a boy, so I hope you enjoy the changes as much as I do. I even had to do some research to figure out what new twist I should bring into this. I know… Research… ugh!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters, I just manipulate their thoughts.

-x-

Hermione hesitantly approached Harry as he walked back into the common room. She was still awestruck by the changes that had befallen her best friend over the course of a week. He was no longer the scrawny childish boy she was used to. Harry had reached a height of nearly six foot, and his musculature had changed to compensate for it. She noticed that his hands, once small and feeble, was now hardened and strong, and they were reaching out to hold her own dainty fingers. Harry abruptly pulled Hermione into a strong hug, letting his emotions drain away from him. Hermione held him softly.

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered as he held his friend to his chest. Hermione squeezed her hand in recognition. By the time they pulled away, Harry was smiling. "You are such an amazing person, Hermione," he marveled.

Hermione punched Harry's arm as she blushed.

"Better stop now, Harry. Looks like its all going to her head," Ron's voice drifted from the sofa.

"Would it make you feel better if I praised you too?" Harry asked, cocking his eyebrow.

"Well, I'm never below praise," Ron said, going back to his Transfigurations textbook.

Harry strolled over to the sofas and lounged himself beside his best friend.

"And no, Harry, I don't need a hug," Ron mumbled as he frowned at a particularly confusing passage in the book.

"You know me too well, Ron," Harry smirked as he closed his eyes by the fire, enjoying his moment of normalcy.

-x-

The past week had been anything but normal. When Harry had finally woken up, he knew that he was different. The first time he saw himself in the mirror, he had simply gaped. He looked so… masculine. He had rubbed his hand over his chin, feeling the rough rubble, which he was quick to get rid of with a flick of his wand. He had noticed his larger stature as he warily fingered his strengthened stomach and chest. The first thing that popped into his head was, _the press is going to have a field day with this_. The second thing that popped into his head was, _damn, I need to go shopping for new clothes_.

Another change that Harry couldn't ignore was his abrupt mood swings. One minute he would content and the next he would be raging over nonsense. He had been in the hospital wing for three days when it first happened. He had been talking to Ron about random things when he started to feel overwhelmed. At first, Harry thought he was just feeling the effects of his sleep potion, but slowly the emotions were welling up inside of him. He must have looked strangled, because Ron was quick to call over a Mediwizard.

Harry's mind had started to race with adrenaline as his eyes stung and his throat closed up. Confusion was taking over and Harry was struggling to breathe. When Harry finally realized he couldn't take it anymore, he had whimpered and released his sadness. The tears flowed freely down his cheeks and his hands were fisting his bedspread. Harry had tried to voice his emotions, but the sadness crushed him. All he could do was spasm as sobs erupted from his chest. The Mediwizard had tried to make Harry drink a relaxing serum, but it had no effect. Finally they had needed to stupefy him in order to stop him from hurting himself.

When he had woken up, Harry couldn't remember why he had been so devastated. "I swear, I wasn't thinking of anything sad. I was just talking with Ron and then – I don't know… I just needed to let it out," Harry had told Dumbledore when he enquired. He remembered the Headmaster's comforting smile as he stroked Harry's hair.

Thanks to the Dreamless Potion, Harry was able to sleep through the night without having nightmares that pulled him out of his stupor. He had yet to try to sleep without the potion. Harry was afraid of the possibility of having another episode while dreaming.

When he'd finally been let out of the hospital wing, the first night in his dorm room had been terrifying. Harry couldn't help letting his emotions spring out of him as he felt happiness, despair, comfort and animosity at a heightened awareness. Dumbledore had tried to explain.

"Harry," he had started as he sank into the chair beside Harry's hospital bed. "I cannot imagine the things you must be feeling right now, what you must be thinking, the confused state you must be in. I will try my hardest to explain. Please remember, I have yet to find a complete answer to this situation we find ourselves in.

"I am sure you have been curious about the reason for the sudden changes to your appearance, Harry. It is a transformation caused by the sudden intake of magic. It is my theory – and I know this is hard for you to hear – that when Mr. Black passed behind the veil, his magic somehow flowed through you. I cannot accurately tell you if you have retained all of his magic or whether you were only able to hold onto the ripples; I presume the latter because when magic is transferred from one individual to another, it most often leads to imminent death.

"But Harry, you are very much alive! This is astonishing. Your body needed to compensate for the excess magic, so it became stronger and more resilient. Furthermore, you seem to have become overly sensitive to emotions, in and around you. Now, this is what we must control. You must learn to desensitize yourself. Your overwhelming emotions can be kept under your control. It will be tedious and tiring, but Harry…

"I know, after all you've been through, this is adding an additional burden. We must do whatever it takes to keep you –" Dumbledore broke off at this point, looking deeply saddened. "… Sane," he finished quietly.

Harry had felt sadness well up inside him once again as he listened to Dumbledore. "How?" he'd gasped out as he struggled to fight the urge to cry.

"Force your mind to think of a situation that doesn't make you sad. Channel your emotions towards strengthening that memory, keeping it clear in your mind," Dumbledore had said quickly, holding Harry's hand.

Harry had nodded as he tried to think of a moment in his life when he had felt elated. His mind had raced through his memories, siphoning out the happiest ones. He focused on the day he had first stepped into Hogwarts. He tried to entrench himself in the memory of him first clapping eyes on the astonishing moving paintings and floating candles. Harry had felt tears flowing down his face as he tried to concentrate harder on seeing the banquet tables fill with food. He had remembered Ron's elated face. Harry couldn't help but smile through his tears as Ron's grin entered his mind. He had felt his chest heave as he took in a shuddering breath, calming himself.

Dumbledore had gently squeezed Harry's trembling hand. "I'm so proud of you, Harry," he had said.

Harry's first day in the common room had been similar to his previous experience, only multiplied tenfold. He had needed to escape the emotions every couple of hours as he started to get accustomed to his new environment. His housemates had been warned about his changes. However, that could not stop his friends from feeling surges of happiness and astonishment as they saw Harry. Harry needed to learn to control the emotions he let in and out. He was excused from classes until he felt well enough to handle the pressure. He had been practicing with Hermione and Ginny when his outburst sent him flying out of the castle. It had been the first time he'd left the Gryffindor tower.

-x-

Harry groaned as he stretched his hands above his head. "I really need to play some Quidditch, Ron," Harry said as he yawned.

"Well, come back to the team already! We're getting tired of waiting. We can only practice for so long without our captain," Ron said, looking up at Harry.

Ron's smile caught Harry quickly. Harry laughed as he picked himself off the sofa and climbed the stairs to his dorm room. "I think I'll be ready for classes by Monday," Harry shouted down cheerfully.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts.

-x-

_Cage in your mind._ Harry tried to keep his excitement from bubbling over as he entered the Great Hall for the first time after the Ministry incident. He tried to remember Professor Severus Snape's tips on how to protect against Legilimency. He needed to lock his mind in a room with a door only he could see. That way no one could come in unless Harry wanted him or her to. The method worked, somewhat. Harry's wavering mind had never been assaulted by so many emotions before. _Bugger, I was never any good at this._

Since it was early morning, the tables weren't filled with students yet. Harry was relieved to see this. A very nervous Hermione and a proud Ron flanked him as he walked to the Gryffindor table. He took in a few deep breaths to calm himself down before filling his bowl with cereal and milk. A trickle of Hufflepuff girls walked in front of Harry, causing him to stiffen with the spoon in his mouth. He needn't have worried, since the strongest emotion he got from the group was that of empathy. Nothing he couldn't handle, so he winked at them. The girls giggled helplessly as they walked to their table, whispering.

"Stop leading them on," Ron mumbled before he took a bite out of his toast.

Harry turned his innocent eyes to Ron, shrugging. Hermione scoffed. The morning classes passed quietly as Harry reigned in his mind, keeping his emotions in check. Considering the fact that his morning consisted of History of Magic, Arithmancy and Herbology, it wasn't tough for Harry to remain neutral. Feeling confident after lunch, Harry was smiling as he headed into Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts. _Damn, spoke too soon._

Harry was instantly filled with hate as he and Ron entered the room. The Gryffindors shared this class with the Slytherins. The glares Harry received when he entered the classroom were crushing his senses. He felt warmth crawl up his neck as his face shifted to a scowl. He glowered at the sparse Slytherins before taking his seat. Ron sensed Harry's disturbance and muttered, "Control it, Harry."

"I'm fucking tired of everyone saying that," Harry growled lowly. He shook his head to clear his thoughts as he tried to apologize to Ron. "I don't think I can do this. Its so hard to control hate," Harry said faintly as he started to get back on his feet.

"Wait. Focus on me, not them," Ron hissed, pulling Harry back down. It took all of Harry's self-control to stop from forcefully wrenching his hand out of Ron's grasp.

"I don't know how," Harry muttered insistently, staring at his shaking hands.

"Shut them out and focus on me," Ron said, staring intently at Harry.

Harry brought his hands to his face and took in deep, cleansing breaths. He tried to build the room in his mind, trapping himself in it. It was difficult trying force the hatred out of the room through the small door. After a minute, Harry could feel the hatred ebb away. In his mind, he pushed all emotions out of the door and welcomed Ron in with a genuine smile. Harry sighed with relief as he felt his mind calming down with positive energy emanating from his friend.

"Thanks, Ron," Harry whispered as the rest of the class piled into the stuffy room. The entire class was spent with Harry periodically writing notes and visiting his mind. He needed to reassure himself that the hate was locked outside and Ron was secure inside.

Double Potions didn't seem to help Harry's mood in any way. Harry never knew that the Slytherins were capable for such anger and jealousy. By the time he had exited the dungeons, Harry's hair was a mess from the constant tugging and his eyes were bloodshot from the stress. After walking up the numerous flights of stairs, Harry slumped into the sofa in the common room, finally letting his mind run free. He groaned and closed his eyes. "Oh, you won't believe how good it feels to be in this room…"

Hermione looked sympathetic as she smiled at Ron.

"Don't forget about Quidditch practice tonight," Ron said, trying to cheer Harry up.

Harry grinned and winked, "Did you really think I wouldn't remember?" He laughed as he was filled with airiness.

Harry spent the next couple of hours recopying his notes from DADA and Potions, waiting patiently to get back on his broom. He jumped with excitement when Ron indicated that it was time to go. He grabbed his Firebolt, feeling a twinge of grief. He eyed the broom for a few moments before lightly running down the stairs towards the main entrance of the castle.

As he opened the door to the Gryffindor change rooms, his mood abruptly moved from grief to enthusiasm. He was greeted with loud whoops and claps on his back from his teammates. Harry beamed proudly as he donned on his Quidditch gear and stepped out onto the field with the team.

All players kicked off in unison. Harry was thrilled to feel the wind rush through his hair, his eyes filled with tears as the warm breeze hit them. He was grinning wildly as he swooped and rolled a few times before coming to a standstill in the middle of the pitch. His team soon surrounded him, waiting patiently to hear what Harry had to say.

"I really don't have anything to say, you guys…" Harry said truthfully. "So, let's just play!" he roared as he zoomed back to the grass and set the Bludgers and Quaffle free. His team cheered as they split themselves up into two small teams, egging each other on. Harry hesitantly took the Snitch out of the box, watching it flex its golden wings. Without a moment's notice, it floated up off of Harry's palm and disappeared. Harry laughed quietly as he mounted his broom once again, in search of the elusive Snitch.

Harry's breath hitched whenever one of his players expressed distress at seeing the Bludger come their way, but he tried his hardest not to let it affect his search. He knew that if he were to play in an actual game, he shouldn't get distracted when a player exuded anger or pain from being hit by a Bludger. Harry steeled himself every time one of his teammates got hit with the angry ball, but he was quick to learn to ignore the sensation.

Whenever a team scored a goal, Harry felt himself getting giddy. He would laugh them off while shouting pointers to help their game. Every so often, Harry would spot the Snitch, peeking behind the goal rings, hovering over the bleachers, or gliding idly across the sidelines. Harry would race up to it, putting all his energy into sneaking up on the Snitch. He would touch it with his palm before letting disappear again. He knew he'd be able to snatch it if he desired, but he wanted to prolong the practice. He needed to get used to his new and heavier physique. He circled the field a few times, concentrating on feeling light on his Firebolt.

After an exhausting practice, the team made it to the showers in one piece. Freshening up in the shower took mere minutes since everyone was starving for some food. Dinner was a clamorous affair, as everyone had to shout to be heard. Harry was still overwhelmed with joy from his practice and couldn't be brought down to earth by any of his housemates. They let him have his moment of excitement during dinner.

Harry's first day of his seventh year had come to a marvelous and tiring close. He dragged his tired feet up to his dorm room and flopped onto the bed, snoring within seconds. On his bedside table sat the untouched flask of Dreamless Potion.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts.

-x-

That night, he dreamed.

Harry was standing in the Ministry of Magic, watching Bellatrix and Sirius battle each other. He felt relief because his godfather had arrived to save him. The scene suddenly morphed as Voldemort stepped out of the veil and started to drag Sirius into the other side. Harry shouted as he watched Sirius being pulled away.

The room began to glow pale blue, as time seemed to slow. Harry felt himself falling backwards but couldn't seem to hit the ground. His heart dropped as Sirius left his sight and the roof transformed into the deep blue night sky. Tears rolled down his face as he fell. The desolation filling Harry burst through him and he didn't notice when he landed softly on luscious grass. He screwed his eyes shut as he breathed in the clear air. His arms were flung out carelessly and his heart pined for Sirius.

Soft laughter noised near his ear. Harry gasped and tried to move away, but he couldn't move his limbs. The voice wasn't unpleasant; it was merely unwanted. Harry turned his head away from the noise as he sobbed. The soft cooing continued for a while as Harry calmed down and felt himself being enveloped in another emotion. _Peace._ Harry hadn't felt peace in many years.

A sudden flush of pain entered his right arm. Harry flinched and gritted his teeth as he felt a hot flash entering his body, curling into his heart. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to hold onto the peace that he had felt moments ago. When he opened his eyes again, he was back on the Ministry floor, watching Voldemort raise his wand at him. Harry watched silently as his nemesis cursed him. He screamed with pain before he felt his heart stop.

"Harry Potter, you wake up this instant!" Ron shouted into Harry's ear.

Harry sat up immediately, placing one hand on his throat, relieved to feel the tremors and pulses. Ron, Neville, and Seamus were surrounding him, looking disheveled.

"Er…" Harry said as his face flushed with embarrassment.

"You alright, mate?" Seamus asked, concerned.

"Just a dream…" Harry mumbled, straightening himself.

"Shit Harry, I wouldn't want to be in your head," Ron quipped as he noticed Harry shiver.

Harry groaned as he fell back onto his bed. "I don't want to be in my head either." He glanced at his flask of potion. "I forgot to take it."

"Well, no point in taking it now, it's already six in the morning," Neville said as he yawned.

"Sorry for waking you guys up," Harry said sheepishly.

"You've been having nightmares since first-year. We're used to it by now, Harry," Ron said as he padded back into bed.

Harry closed his eyes, remembering bits and pieces of his dream. He felt more drained than he usually did after a bad dream. He felt tear tracks streaking his face and was quick to wipe it off, thankful that his friends hadn't pointed them out. He sighed as he threw back his bed sheets and walked over to the bay window in the dorm. He pulled open the curtain slightly and sat on the sill, pulling the curtain shut behind him in order to leave the dorm in darkness.

He could remember the emotions in his dream very clearly. He remembered the happiness of seeing Sirius, the grief of seeing him go, the pain, and strangely the peace. Harry frowned as he tried to piece his dream back together.

He watched the sky lighten as he stared out into the lake. He had trepidations about facing another day of overactive emotions, but knew he couldn't turn his back on his life. He quickly built the room in his mind, emptying it with emotions as he quietly left his windowsill and slipped out of his dorm.

-x-

Harry studiously took his potion every night before sleep, for the sake of himself and his friends. Madame Pomfrey had told Harry that it was not advisable to take the potion regularly, but Harry couldn't bear to have another dream about Sirius dying. Seeing him leave once was enough.

Two weeks flew by as Harry learnt to control his emotions, letting appropriate ones leave his mind when the situation called for it. He was able to write legible notes in most of his classes without being distracted by a sudden urge to laugh or frown or gasp. He learnt to focus on emotions of individuals, mimicking their mind, thus clearing his own. Harry was starting to realize the usefulness of his hyperawareness. He knew well in advance when a fight was about to start in the hallways. Surprises rarely worked on him. He was able to comfort the people who were bottling their emotions inside. Harry became more omnipresent over the days, often protecting or providing encouraging words to the people around him.

"Wow, Harry. If you weren't popular before, you sure are now," Ginny whispered into his ear at breakfast one morning as a couple of Ravenclaw girls made gooey eyes at him.

Harry blushed as he felt their eagerness and compassion wash over him. Ron snickered. "Ready for tomorrow's game?" he asked.

The first Quidditch game of the season was about to start – Ravenclaw versus Slytherin. Harry could feel the tension emanating from the Quidditch players of both the houses. Harry nodded.

-x-

The following day was beautiful. Not a cloud hindered the sun as the school made their way to the Quidditch pitch. Harry had to shut his mind down almost completely so as not be feel overwhelmed by the excitement and animosity flowing through the crowds. He watched as students and staff slowly filled the bleachers.

The banners were flying high and proud as the Ravenclaws and Slytherins started chanting their respective cheers. The teams came out of their change rooms causing the crowd to go wild with excitement. Harry was swept up in by the waves of emotions and he soon found himself on his feet, shouting hoarsely. Ron and Hermione had to pull him down by his robes and clutch his arms tightly to stop him from going overboard. Harry grinned stupidly as the Quaffle was released, starting the game.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts.

-x-

Nobody expected the Slytherins to play fair, so it was no surprise when the first foul was called just five minutes into the game. Crabbe seemed to have decided that Terry Boot's head was the Bludger. Boot's quick thinking had him escaping the bat as it whizzed an inch away from his ear. The displeasure was evident in the crowd as they booed and shouted catcalls at the Slytherin team.

This year, it seemed that the two teams were quite evenly matched, neither letting the other gain too many points by way of Quaffle goals. It seemed the Seekers were the main focus – Cho Chang was shadowing Draco Malfoy closely as they scanned the skies for the Snitch.

Harry's breath hitched as he felt surprise coming from Cho. She sped off towards the Ravenclaw end of the field, having clearly spotted the Snitch. Malfoy was quick to follow, slowly gaining on Cho, eventually moving beside her. The anticipation was driving Harry wild as the whole crowd held its breath. Malfoy was weaving around Cho, trying to distract her as they sped towards the stationary Snitch.

Harry's stomach gave a lurch as he whipped his head around at the Ravenclaw Beater. He was aiming for Malfoy. Harry tried to calm himself down, knowing this was part of the game. It appeared he wasn't the only one who had noticed. Half the Slytherin crowd was yelling at Malfoy to watch out.

Malfoy spun around in time to see the Bludger spinning towards him, but knew he would be unable to move away in time. Harry felt the dread that was filling Malfoy moments before the hit and he also felt the wave of pain that followed. Harry wanted to help; he needed to do something. Harry let down his guard, opening his door to the flood of emotions coming from the crowd.

"Oh god!" he gasped as his sight wavered. He grabbed onto his friends as he felt all the sentiments rushing into him. He fell onto Ron as he blacked out.

-x-

Harry awoke to hushed sounds. He couldn't open his eyes because of the weights that seemed to be pressing on them. He cleared his throat, noticing it was parched.

"Oh, he's awake," Hermione's voice dripped with relief. He cracked open his eyes, squinting at the light. Hermione was quick to hand Harry a cup of water, but Harry's hands were shaking so hard that she had to hold it for him.

Harry lay back down with his eyes closed after he'd quenched his thirst. Within seconds he'd fallen back to sleep.

-x-

"Time to wake up, Harry," Ron's insistent voice pestered Harry.

"Bugger off," Harry said, waving his hand at Ron, turning away from him.

"He's right, Harry. You've been asleep for a whole day," Hermione said softly from the other side of his bed.

Harry groaned as he tried to unglue his eyes. _A whole day?_ "What happened?"

"We were hoping you'd know…" Ron said hesitantly.

"I guess I couldn't handle the crowd after all. I don't know, after the Bludger hit Malfoy, I just felt all these wild emotions. I couldn't shut it out. So, I guess I blacked out."

"Oh…" Hermione said.

"Um… So you don't remember anything else?" Ron asked expectantly.

Harry finally opened his eyes as he felt Ron's fear fill him. "Oh my gosh, what happened? Did I do something wrong?" Harry asked, his eyes wide with alarm.

"Well, nothing went wrong, per se," said Hermione.

"Then why are you guys scared?" Harry asked, dreading the answer.

"Okay, so you fainted –" Ron paused as he took a deep breath. "And then… something happened. You – sat back up, but it wasn't really you. And you – well, frankly, you flew up and caught Malfoy before he hit the ground," Ron blurted out the last part as quick as he could.

Harry would've been laughing if he weren't feeling his friends' emotions. His jaw dropped as he gaped at Ron.

"I… flew? How? I didn't even have a broom on me," Harry said incredulously.

"Wings," peeped Hermione.

_Fuck my life!_ Harry quickly felt his shoulders. "Um, I don't think so…" he said when he found nothing odd.

"Well, believe me when I tell you this, you had bloody wings, Harry. And then you – swoosh – flew up and caught Malfoy as he fell. I mean, Merlin, it was amazing! Then you just swooped back down, Malfoy was all bloody and gross. You walked him over to the bench and set him down and – fuck, Harry, I had no idea how strong you were! Then your wings just – I dunno, went back inside you… And you fainted – again," Ron was in disbelief as he recounted the incident.

"Here, look at your shirt, for heaven's sake!" Hermione threw Harry's tattered shirt at the bed. Harry ran his hands through the tears.

"Is –" Harry's voice cracked with emotional stress. "Is Malfoy alright, then?"

"Him? Oh, yeah. Would've cracked his head open if you hadn't saved him, bloody lucky bastard. I think he broke a couple of ribs or something messy like that," Ron was flippant as he talked.

"Harry, you're awake!" Ginny squealed as she walked into his room. She ran up and hugged Harry tightly. "Holy crap, you won't believe what's going on out there! You were amazing! One second you were hanging onto Ron and the next you're in the sky! Everyone's so – how'd you – I don't even – Harry, you have wings!" Ginny was talking rapidly as her excitement caught up with her. "And – pardon my French, but you looked like a fucking god when you caught that shit head!"

Harry coughed conspicuously as he blushed. Hermione nodded her head in agreement and Ron held up his hands in surrender.

"So, what did they look like?" Harry asked, hoping to god this was all a big misunderstanding.

The three launched into description simultaneously.

"Like, a three meter wing span."

"Feathers, brown, like your hair."

"Wait, I thought it was black."

"What would you know about color, Ron?"

"Looked like gold accents."

"None of us touched it."

"Well, I thought I did, I think it was soft."

"What are you talking about, you weren't even near him, Ginny!"

"And the magic around you…"

"Oh my gosh, I could feel it…"

"Like static!"

Harry ran his hand through his hair, feeling distraught. "Why is this happening to me?" he moaned.

Ron put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry, you're like sex with wings to most of the school, right now. Don't blow it."

Harry guffawed despite himself.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts.

-x-

Malfoy saw the Bludger rattling towards him. His first thought was to duck, but the Bludger was heading right towards his chest. In a split second, Malfoy turned on his side to make sure the Bludger wouldn't hit any of his important bits. Even so, the hard jar as the ball struck his ribs was earth shattering. He gasped with pain and tried to hold onto the broom. Malfoy felt warm blood trickling down his side and every time he took a breath, he felt his shattered bones moving around. That was enough to set him on the edge.

Malfoy felt himself fainting and he tried to keep his eyes on Cho's horrified face. But the lack of oxygen took over as he toppled off of his broom, still many meters in the air. His last thought was, _this couldn't end well._

But he didn't fall for too long before he soared again. His head was muffled with pain and his eyes were glazed with wonderment. He was flying again, albeit downwards, but flying nonetheless.

"Holy shit," Draco mumbled faintly. He felt a rumble of amusement against his side. He looked up at the source of the laughter. The shock of seeing the face was enough to send him into a swoon once again.

-x-

Malfoy groaned in his bed as he felt his sore ribs. Madame Pomfrey was bustling around him, trying to straighten his pillows and flatten his bed. She shushed him and gave him a pain potion. Malfoy was reluctant to take it since he didn't feel too much pain, but when Madame Pomfrey gives you a potion, you drink it.

"Oh, good. You're _finally_ awake," Blaise Zabini said from behind his magazine.

"What the fuc – udge happened to me?" Malfoy said, catching his tongue before it blurted profanities in front of the school nurse.

"I'll tell you what happened, Mr. Malfoy! You were hit by a Bludger when you were playing that darned awful sport," Madame Pomfrey chided as she left the room.

"And just you wait until you hear what happened after," Blaise said as he finally put down his magazine, lips quirking up in a small smile.

"Oh… OH! That – I thought that was… just a dream…" Malfoy said with realization. "Wait, Potter? How? And what the fuck was he doing on the pitch?"

"Oh, calm down, Draco," Blaise replied dismissively. "You're alive, aren't you? Not that you'll ever be able to live this down… Ever. Especially after Potter caught you _without _a broom."

Malfoy stared dumbly at his friend.

"Draco, he had fucking wings! Like huge ass, fucking feathery wings!" Blaise's eyes went wide as he remembered the scene.

Malfoy's breath caught in his chest. He suddenly burst out laughing hysterically. He looked at Blaise with incredulity as he covered his mouth with his hand, his body racking with amusement. He quieted down considerably when he saw that Blaise was gazing at him with a smirk.

"Uh, right…" Malfoy said resignedly.

-x-

Madame Pomfrey strode into Harry's room.

"You're awake! Well, how do you feel, Mr. Potter?" she asked, handing him a potion. Harry quickly downed it, feeling the pleasant tingle in his body.

"Better now, thanks," he said.

"Then you are up for Albus' visit," the nurse said, ushering in the Headmaster.

Harry quickly scrambled to sit up on his bed, a thousand questions running through his mind.

"Before you start, Harry, I want you to know that without further research I will not be able to fully explain this phenomenon," Dumbledore said.

Harry visibly sagged as he slumped back onto his bed. "Do you think it'll happen again?" he asked.

"Well, I would think so, my boy, yes."

"Is there any way I can stop it?"

"Harry, you just saved Mr. Malfoy's life. You mustn't get too distraught over this."

Harry stared at Dumbledore with disbelief. "How could I not be distraught?" he asked, all the while feeling calmness wash over him from Dumbledore.

"Harry, your magic… It has increased tenfold!" Dumbledore marveled.

"I don't feel any different," Harry said quietly.

"It seems you are only able to express the magic when you feel overwhelmed. This means that you can be taught to harness the energy. It is hidden inside you."

"But the wings?" Harry cringed when he thought about them.

"Well, that is where my knowledge is limited. I will call you over to my office once I have sorted out the magical properties you have exhibited," Dumbledore said and got up on his feet. "I know you have the ability to control, Harry. If you didn't, you would not be alive."

Harry gawked as Dumbledore swept out of the hospital room.

-x-

**A/N: **This was just a filler chapter. More excitement yet to come!


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts.

-x-

Harry stood in front of the Fat Lady nervously. Ron and Hermione pushed him through the portal.

The noise level in the common room abruptly decreased and silence prevailed for a few moments. As recognition registered, the Gryffindors went wild as they cheered Harry's return. Harry wanted to yell with them when he felt the crashes of joy in his mind. He grinned at his housemates while Ron and Hermione made room for him on the long sofa. The inquisitive Gryffindors threw question after question at Harry. Most of them involved him showing off his wings. Harry shrugged with desperation at most of the enquiries. "I know as much as you guys do… Actually, I know even less. I don't even remember the wings," Harry replied to the questions.

That didn't seem to dampen their spirits. In fact, it fuelled the crowd as they recounted the incident. The main consensus was that Harry's wings had a three-meter wingspan and deep brown feathers. It had moved effortlessly, as though Harry had always had them. "Like an angel," a quiet second-year Gryffindor said in awe. Dreamy sighs erupted from the room as they heard the statement.

Harry's heart flipped when he heard the soft admission. He smiled faintly at the girl before blushing deeply.

"Okay everyone, that's enough for today," Hermione preened importantly, noticing Harry's discomfort. Harry felt the disappointment in the crowd and he smiled at them apologetically.

The students slowly got back to their routine that evening, glancing at Harry every so often. Harry had always been used to the sly stares, but it was even more conspicuous now that he could feel what they felt. Lavender Brown's fluttering eyes and Parvati Patel's dreamy smiles didn't go unnoticed. Ron scoffed at the attention and raised his eyebrows at Harry every so often.

By the end of the day, Harry was exhausted. He was glad he could sleep in the next day, since it was a Sunday. Harry drank his potion and sank into bed, drawing in the bedclothes as he curled warmly.

-x-

And that night, Harry dreamed…

He was lying back on the luscious grass, starting up at the night sky. Peace enveloped him and he felt his face relaxing into a smile. Pain sifted through his right arm, but it felt dulled. Harry looked curiously at the scar. It was on his wrist, atop his pulsing vein. It looked like an exploded star, with rays spreading on his wrists. The faint scar radiated all around his wrist, enveloping it – a pale bracelet. Harry touched it gently, feeling a stirring inside him.

The meadow was suddenly caught in a storm. The flowers were pulled off of the grass and the field was trembling with thunder. Harry scrambled to his feet and found himself face-to-face with Voldemort. He turned around to run away but was rooted on the spot when he saw he was standing in front of the Hogwarts. He felt anger flickering through him as he turned back to face Voldemort with a growl emanating from his throat. _ I have to protect. I have to help._ Harry's thoughts raced while the stirring in his heart blossomed. He felt his wings unfurl out of his shoulders and he tensed against Voldemort's curses.

Harry lifted his arms in the air, feeling the magic pulse through him, when…

"Harry," Ron groaned loudly from his side of the room as he woke up. "You're dreaming again," his muffled voice interrupted and then he promptly went back to sleep.

Dean's screams woke Ron up the next second and he unceremoniously tumbled out of his bed and onto the floor, staring wildly. "Merlin's beard," he cursed as he scrambled to Harry's side.

Harry was enveloped in his wings.

-x-

Harry was trying to push himself out of his dream. He'd heard Ron's voice calling out to him, reminding him that he was just dreaming. He knew that he didn't have to fight Voldemort yet. But he didn't know how to get away.

With one mighty push, the wings took Harry off the field and into the sky. He looked towards the meadows once again to find that the storm had passed and the night sky had cleared. Harry sighed as his wings went limp and he floated back to the ground, onto his bed.

"It's alright, I'm up," Harry mumbled as he stretched his long arms over his head, yawning. "I swear, I took the potion, Ron, but I – HOLY FUCK! WHAT THE HELL!" Harry's eyes wrenched open as he felt his wings with his hand.

His dorm mates were pressed against the opposite end of their room. Their eyes were wide with shock as they watched Harry freak out.

"Er, Harry? We can't move," Neville said hesitantly.

"OH! I HAVE FUCKING WINGS! SHIT, DO SOMETHING!" Harry jumped out of bed, curling his hands to his chest, away from the feathers.

"Harry, we can't! I told you, we can't come any closer to you…" Neville insisted. He tried to move towards Harry, but seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier.

_My life is a living hell_, Harry thought as he watched his friends eyeing him fearfully. "What do I do? What do I do?" Harry mumbled as he raked his hand through his hair.

"Start by CALMING THE FUCK DOWN!" Ron yelled.

"Easy for you to say, YOU'RE NOT THE ONE WITH THE WINGS," Harry shouted back in frustration.

"Wings? What –" the dorm room burst open and the seventh year girls gaped wordlessly at the scene.

"Hermione, please, help…" Harry pleaded. Hermione tried to walk into the room, but was stopped by the barrier too. She ran her hand along the undetectable wall in astonishment.

"Harry, you're blocking me. I can't come inside," Hermione said faintly. "Clear your mind, okay? Just don't panic. You aren't hurting anyone, so just take your time."

Harry's mind was overrun with anxiety, aggravation, and confusion. It took him several minutes to lock away the emotions and close the door in his mind. His eyes were squeezed shut as his brows furrowed with concentration. He didn't want to let any emotions enter his brain. _ I need to think calming thoughts_. Harry sifted through his memories, picking a few small snippets as he ran them through his mind. The time when he slept in Ron's room in the Burrow, his aimless rides on the Firebolt and Christmas came into view. Harry filled his room with these images, feeling his heartbeat slowing to a normal pace.

Harry slowly opened his eyes to a very quiet room. He saw that Ron and Hermione were able to move closer now, and they stood a couple of feet away from Harry, not wanting to disrupt his concentration.

"How'd you do that?" Ron breathed.

"I don't know how the wings or the invisible shield happened. I was just dreaming…" Harry said, watching everyone's odd expression. "Damn, I guess the wings haven't gone yet," he mused as he flexed them around him. They moved as Harry thought about them, spreading wide and then gathering towards his body. The sunlight caught the slight golds and silvers that ran through the expanse. It looked almost black in the morning sun, as it absorbed the heat and reflected the light. Harry touched it gingerly with his fingers, feeling the long feathers move against his skin. His face broke into a small smile.

"No, Harry, that's not – I mean – one second we were half scared to death and the next – I felt so peaceful…" Hermione explained. "How'd you do _that_?" she asked. The seventh years nodded at her question.

"I – no, I was just trying to calm myself down. I didn't do anything else…" Harry faltered.

"We need to get you to Dumbledore. Now," Seamus said evenly.

"Yeah," Lavender and Parvati chimed together.

"Nuh uh! I'm not leaving this room when I have bloody wings on me," Harry said vehemently. His wings twitched slightly, causing everyone to take a step back.

"Harry, this is no time to be embarrassed!" Ron said as he grabbed Harry's wrist.

"Oh," Harry gasped when he felt the scar on his wrist burning. Before he could wrench his hand out of Ron's, he felt his wings going limp and his legs folding under him. He fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Oh my gosh, Harry, are you okay?" his friends crowded around him. Harry quickly opened his eyes and sat up.

"I'm fine, really. I don't know what happened," Harry said as he slowly got back on his feet.

"Your wings, they're gone," Dean said in wonderment.

-x-

**A/N**: This chapter was SO FREAKIN' EXCITING to write. And you are NOT going to believe what happens next!


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

The Gryffindor seventh years walked down to the Great Hall together, still stricken by Harry's episode in the Gryffindor tower. Hermione had tried to contact the Headmaster, but he was away for the weekend with matters to attend to in the Ministry of Magic. Harry had assured his friends that he was perfectly fine, so they agreed to go down to breakfast together.

Harry's mind was reeling with the events from early morning. He was glad to have distractions by way of friends. They didn't seem to be making a big fuss, probably after receiving Ron's death stare.

The students settled down for a lazy breakfast. The banquet tables emptied and filled routinely as people filtered in and out leisurely. The atmosphere was laid back but Harry felt more than a few people staring at him inquisitively. However, nobody approached him.

He filled his plate with toast and eggs, feeling famished. The Gryffindor table emitted positivity, helping Harry ease into the conversations. Once he finished his breakfast, he nursed his cup of hot chocolate in both hands while staring at the other tables nonchalantly.

Harry was quiet for more than half an hour before he heard Neville's voice interrupting his thoughts. "Why are you staring at him?" he asked in a low tone.

Harry blinked once and turned his head towards his friend. "Er… who?" Harry looked back to the where he was staring, all the way across the room. "Oh, Malfoy."

"Yeah, Malfoy," Neville echoed.

Harry shrugged as he watched Malfoy being coddled by his friends. Malfoy's usual unruffled composure seemed to be cracking as he uncomfortably stared at his food. Pansy Parkinson had her hands all over Malfoy, trying to elicit a reaction from him. Crabbe and Goyle merely looked at each other. _Probably grunting,_ Harry thought with a smile. Blaise seemed to be trying to have a natural conversation with Malfoy. Malfoy's demeanor perturbed Harry. He tried to open his mind to let Malfoy's emotions in.

"Hmm," Harry said softly. He couldn't find Malfoy in the crowd. He tried to dig deeper, sifting through the unwanted students, searching for Malfoy's mind.

Malfoy snapped his head up to look at Harry. His mouth was slightly agape but he was trying to compose his face into a look of scorn. Harry pulled back slightly before stopping his search. Malfoy looked down at his hands and then back up at Harry, this time frowning deeply. The frown wasn't directed at Harry; Malfoy's gaze seemed to pierce right through him. Harry raised his eyebrows, questioningly.

Malfoy quickly stood up and stumbled over the bench. Before Harry could react, Malfoy was sprinting out of the Hall. Blaise tripped over his bench, trying to follow Malfoy out of the room. Crabbe and Goyle stared at the commotion stupidly, unable to decide what to do.

"Um… You didn't do that, did you Harry?" Neville asked as Harry was rooted to his seat with a sense of astonishment surrounding him.

"I sure as heck hope not," he said as he got off of the bench and jogged towards the door. A slightly ruffled Blaise quickly followed him.

Harry threw open the doors and strolled towards Malfoy's figure. He was leaning against the banister, clutching one hand on the railing and the other to his ribs.

"Er, are you alright?" Harry asked as he caught up with Malfoy. He took a step back when he saw Malfoy's face contorting with pain. Blaise gasped at his friend's distress.

"Fuck," Malfoy breathed as his knees gave way. Harry and Blaise were quick to catch Malfoy, pulling him back up.

"I thought Madame Pomfrey had fixed you," Blaise said as he made Malfoy sit down on the stairs.

"Me too," Malfoy said through gritted teeth.

"Draco, what happened?" Pansy's grating voice called out as she ran towards the trio. Malfoy groaned and looked helplessly at Blaise. Blaise smirked when Pansy took it upon herself to comfort Malfoy, hugging and kissing him dramatically. Harry chuckled as he watched Malfoy leaning farther and farther away from the girl by pressing against the wall.

"Pansy, I think he needs to go the hospital wing," Harry said.

"Potter," Pansy sneered. "Shut up."

"Ooookay then…" Harry said, sensing the hostility that Pansy was making sure not to hide.

"He's right, Draco. You need to get to Madame Pomfrey," Blaise said, agreeing with Harry.

Pansy huffed for a moment before reluctantly letting go of Malfoy. "Honey, can you manage?" she asked in her sickly sweet voice.

Malfoy rolled his eyes and slowly got up off the stairs. He couldn't inhale properly without feeling his ribs crush his lungs. He felt slightly light headed as he nodded at Blaise and scowled at Harry.

"Draco, you twat! I told you so! You shouldn't have left the hospital bed for another two days! I hope you haven't made yourself worse," Blaise said, holding onto Draco's arm.

Harry watched the three Slytherins make their way up the stairs slowly. He had just turned back towards the Great Hall when he heard Blaise yell out his name.

"Potter, I don't think I can handle him," Blaise said when he felt Malfoy wilting against him.

Harry sighed and ran up the stairs. He wrapped his arm around Malfoy's back, propping him up. Malfoy stiffened when he felt another arm helping him stand straight, but quickly sagged as he felt his chest burning.

Harry and Blaise dragged Malfoy into the hospital wing. They laid him down on the empty bed. Pansy was fluttering behind them.

"I've never seen him in this much pain," Blaise muttered, watching Madame Pomfrey bustle around Malfoy, making him comfortable.

"He'll be fine," Harry reassured Blaise.

"I must ask you folks to wait outside," the nurse said, ushering the three students outside.

"You don't have to stay, Potter," Blaise said as they sat down in the chairs outside Malfoy's room.

"Haven't got anything better to do," Harry replied, staring at his hands.

Blaise shrugged at Pansy and they waited in awkward silence for a while. Pansy continued to stare at Harry in disgust and Blaise was blatantly ignoring both of them, flicking his wand to create puffs of steam. The uncomfortable aura was starting to irritate Harry.

"Er… Maybe I _should_ go," Harry said as he squirmed in his seat. He got up on his feet, stretching his long legs out. That's when he felt shock and despair spreading from the Malfoy's hospital room. _Damn_. He wrenched open the door in time to see Madame Pomfrey's distraught face and Draco's limp body.

"It seems Mr. Malfoy has sustained severe internal injuries. I am sure they weren't present this morning when I let him leave. His lungs are filling with fluid. I've – I don't know what else to try," Madame Pomfrey said as she sifted through her numerous potions.

"Oh," Blaise said, pitifully. Pansy ran out the door to get Professor Snape. Harry stared at the nurse in disbelief. "What do you mean you don't know what to do?" he asked.

"His injuries are so extensive; if it were this bad last night, I would have wasted no time in sending him to St. Mungo's. But he was patched up perfectly. I told him to pace himself. Bones can be so fragile after they have been healed. I –" the nurse broke off after Malfoy spit out the potion she tried to give him. Blaise was trembling with frustration and the energy was flowing into Harry's mind.

_He's drowning_. "Is there anything we can do?" Harry asked while watching Madame Pomfrey impatiently.

"Of course not," she snapped at them.

Malfoy was shuddering as he tried to drag in air through his mouth. Harry was horrified at how weak the boy looked.

"Out of the way!" Snape's angry voice cut through the tension. He pushed Harry and Blaise aside and strode over to Malfoy's side. He looked grave when he cast his charms over his godson, assessing his health. He pulled Madame Pomfrey to the corner and Harry could feel the anger rising from both individuals as they argued quietly.

"This isn't helping," Harry muttered. Blaise's grief was also starting to flood into his mind. Harry shut the door in his mind firmly, not letting any more emotions creep in. He cleared his mind and calmed himself with a deep breath.

That's when he heard the pounding. He turned around to stare at the hospital door. It was still ajar from when Snape had breezed through. Harry frowned deeply when the pounding continued.

"Is someone at the door?" he asked Blaise. Blaise stared at Harry murderously before shaking his head.

"What is –" Harry started saying when suddenly the pounding was accompanied by shouting.

'_Help!'_

-x-


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

'_Potter, if you don't let me in this minute, I'll haunt you 'til the end of time!'_

Harry stumbled backwards when he heard Malfoy's voice in his head. He threw open the door in his mind and found Malfoy fuming in front of him. _This is weird._ Harry could feel Malfoy's consciousness invading his.

'_This is all YOUR FAULT! So fix it!' _Malfoy said, stomping into Harry's mind.

'_How? And why is this my fault? You were the one smart enough to get hit by the Bludger,'_ Harry stammered.

'_If I hadn't felt you poking around in my head today, I wouldn't have completely FREAKED OUT!' _

'_You – what? You felt it?'_

'_FUCK, Potter! Everyone thinks your all that! I even felt your magic on the Quidditch pitch, for heaven's sake. Just do something!'_

Harry's internal struggle was apparent to Professor Snape. He stared incredulously at Harry's.

"Potter, are you alright?" he asked.

"I – Malfoy… I think I should help," Harry said faintly. He walked over to the bed in a daze, staring at Malfoy's unconscious body.

'_I don't know what to do, Malfoy,'_ he thought helplessly.

'_And I don't think I'm going to last much longer,'_ Malfoy replied sardonically.

Harry sighed and closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on his magic. _ I don't even know what I'm looking for_. He wasn't sure what his magic felt like, so he didn't know where to search for it. He was silent for several minutes, focusing on his mind. He tried to remember the magic flowing through him from the incident in the morning. He raced through his memory of what had he had done to his friends without a wand.

'_I haven't got all day,'_ Malfoy groaned. Harry could feel Malfoy's consciousness fading out of his mind. Malfoy started to seize in bed. Inadvertently, Harry reached out to hold him down. Malfoy's pale fingers brushed against Harry's wrist, causing a sharp pain to shoot up his arm.

Harry gasped when he felt his body shaking with power. He tried not to lose control, knowing that if he succumbed to it, he wouldn't be able to save Malfoy. His head was pounding by the time Harry had limited his magic. He opened his eyes with sudden revelation, knowing what to do on instinct. He pushed his hands against Malfoy's broken ribs, letting his energy soak through. He imagined the blood draining away, the tear in Malfoy's lung closing, and his ribs being restructured. Harry forced the magic through his palms.

After a moment, Harry felt his energy ebbing away, causing his legs to tremble. He fell on his knees and heaved in cool air to relieve his nausea. _Well, at least I didn't faint this time._

Hands reached down to pull Harry upright. "Did I –" Harry broke off, feeling Madame Pomfrey's relief and Blaise's elation. "I guess I did," he answered his own broken question. "I need to sit down."

He was led to the adjoining bed where he sat down, leaning against the headboard. Malfoy's face was no longer blue and he was lying calmly in bed. Harry ventured into his own mind, hesitating before calling Malfoy's name.

'_Thanks, Potter,'_ Malfoy's consciousness replied begrudgingly as he left Harry's room.

"Don't mention it," Harry said to himself, smiling.

-x-

"Okay, so far we know that you have wild magic hidden somewhere and in order to extract it, all you need to do is touch your wrist," Hermione was pacing in front of the fire, talking to whoever was willing to listen. The Gryffindors were perched either on the couch or on the floor, watching Hermione pace with increasing speed.

"Well, people have touched my scar before now and nothing like this happened," Harry grumbled, staring at the fire sullenly.

"Maybe it only works when you touch it at specific instances. Or maybe you became more sensitive when you saved Malfoy… The first time," Hermione clarified. "Also, you just told us that you didn't faint this time _and _your wings didn't pop out. See, you're already gaining some control! We also know that the magic came from your godfather, who happened to be quite powerful. You were able to hear Malfoy in your mind, and then you healed him without the use of a wand. This type of magic is typically seen in young children who haven't learned to manage their magic yet. Using the magic exhausts you, somewhat, but we can always work on increasing your stamina. Maybe if you could channel that magic through your wand, you wouldn't get so tired. I have done research on the wings, Harry, but most of the literature is so old that I'm pretty sure there is no conclusive data regarding them. Oh, I wish Dumbledore were here," Hermione finished, wringing her hands.

After Malfoy had been stabilized, most of the Hogwarts staff had questions for Harry. Almost all of the questions revolved around 'How?' To Professor McGonagall's credit, Harry was able to escape the questions in record time. Eventually Harry had trudged back to his common room, but didn't receive a moment's rest. He was blasted with dozens of questions from his friends. After he spent another exhaustive hour answering them, Hermione had set off on a mission to understand what was happening to Harry. She had spent a couple of hours in the library before gathering everyone into the common room to discuss Harry's magic.

"Professor McGonagall said he should be back tomorrow morning. Maybe I'll go see him before class," Harry said.

"Oh, there's no maybe. I'm gonna drag your arse to Dumbledore's office if you so much as think about stalling," Ron said forcefully. Harry smirked at this. He had been looking forward to spending at least one day without any complications, but that plan was flushed down the drain from the moment he woke up. Harry spent the rest of his weekend holed up in the tower, working on his schoolwork and surrounded by his friends. _This isn't so bad, either, I suppose_.

-x-

**A/N: **This chapter seems super uncomfortable to me. I don't know… Maybe I'll rework it later, but right now I really want to keep going :D


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

"Hmm… I don't know the password, you guys," Harry said. Hermione and Ron were with him, insisting that they wanted to talk to Dumbledore as well. They didn't want Harry to leave out any details while explaining his weekend. They stood staring at the gargoyle guarding the room, trying to force it to open without the password.

"Its ice mice," Albus Dumbledore's voice startled the three students. The gargoyle moved away to reveal the stairs leading up to the Headmaster's office. "Please, go on upstairs, I will be with you in just a moment," he said graciously. Harry nodded nervously and climbed up to the room, followed closely by Hermione and Ron. They sat down on the available chairs, perching on the edge of their seats. True to his word, Dumbledore strode in moments later and leaned against his large desk, staring expectantly at the three.

Harry was dumbstruck when he realized that his brain was refusing to cooperate. He hadn't prepared himself for words. Thankfully, Hermione took charge and started recounting the events of Sunday. She started with Harry's wings and talked about the invisible shield he had put up. Ron interrupted her, talking about how Harry had manipulated their emotions and his burning scar on his wrist. They ended off by elaborating on Harry's healing prowess, making him blush.

"Well, it certainly sounds like you have had a satisfying weekend, Harry," Dumbledore sounded amused.

"I wouldn't necessarily call it satisfying, sir," Harry said, staring at his feet.

"You will be happy to know that I have acquired more information regarding this wonder, Harry. And after hearing these stories, I believe my theories are reaffirming themselves by every passing day," Dumbledore said evenly.

Harry's mood brightened at this. That's all he wanted – an explanation.

"You wouldn't mind having your friends around while I chat with you, would you Harry?" Dumbledore asked, looking appraisingly at Ron and Hermione.

"They are more than welcome to hear it, sir," Harry said eagerly. _Besides, they'll probably know more about what to do with all the information that I will._

"Good. Well, I suppose we should start at the very beginning. There has always been a balance between good and evil throughout the history of our world. If this were a perfect universe, evil would be – an indescribable emotion that is fuelled by hatred. In a perfect universe, there would be no evil, and therefore there would be no need to balance it with good. Our world is far from perfect. So, the evil and hatred is delicately countered with love and respect.

"When Voldemort started to fill the world with fear and hate, the balance was essentially destroyed. He was able to convert innocent people into resentful Death Eaters. He quelled many aspiring hearts by instilling fear into their minds. He was surrounded by death at all times, which fed his thirst. The more he experienced, the more he gained, and the more he wanted. He is a very wanting man, Harry. He takes and takes from others, and when he gives – he gives disgust; he gives loathing. Such evil has the power to darken skies. Nature cannot stand such turmoil. So it does all that it can to counter the evil with goodness.

"The goodness is in _you_, Harry. When your parents gave their life for you, they bestowed all their goodness in you. I know that you are well aware of this. And I'm sure you've guessed by now that when your godfather died, he was trying to instill his goodness in you as well. In fact, Sirius went far and beyond that. He tried to give you a piece of himself. He gave you his magic. He wanted to protect you from any and all harm. Sirius knew that you thought of him as the last of your family. I believe that he didn't want to leave you with nothing. He didn't want to feel alone. So he gave you his most priceless possession. His magic..."

Harry's eyes filled with tears when he felt the reassuring emotions around him. Hermione clasped her hand in Harry's, holding him tight, lending him support. Harry sniffed quietly and nodded at Dumbledore to continue.

"Sirius' need to protect you saved you from dying after you retained his power. From what I have witnessed and heard so far, I would have to say that you took in _all_ of Sirius' magic, not just a small part of it. Essentially, you have enough magic in you to fuel two people."

Hermione and Ron gasped when they heard this. Their eyes went wide with wonderment as they regarded Harry. Harry cleared the lump from his throat and said, "But I don't feel it. I can't draw the magic out without exhausting myself. On top of that, the magic only comes out when something terrible happens…" Realization struck him and he quickly looked back at Dumbledore.

"Yes, Harry. The magic only comes out when something bad happens. Another perfect explanation for why you are still alive and well. If the magic were to flow through you at all times, you would be fatigued beyond belief, trying to keep the power at bay. There are ways to train yourself to conjure up excess magic from your reserves whenever it is needed. You will be taught the methods during your school year.

"This sudden intake of power is starting to the sway the balance between good and bad, Harry. Now that you have grown so powerful in such a short amount of time, the scale is starting to waver. You are effectively countering Voldemort's hate with your good. While this is excellent news, I must unfortunately inform you that Voldemort has sensed your strength. He has started making an army. His intentions are quite clear. He wants you to either join him or die at his hands. I am intending on letting neither of these actions happen. You will be trained in time and your friends will support you in times of crisis. We will make Voldemort bring the fight to us – to Hogwarts," Dumbledore ended forcefully.

Harry was silent for many moments, trying to take in the information. He now understood most of his changes. He knew that Sirius had died for a purpose.

"But that doesn't explain the wings…" Ron said, almost to himself. Hermione nodded in agreement and added, "Or the scar."

Dumbledore smiled under his silvery beard, his bright blue eyes twinkling. "And so we have arrived to the most interesting part of the conversation. Harry, may I see your wrist?" he asked, holding out his hand.

Harry got up and walked over to the Headmaster. He placed his wrist in Dumbledore's warm hand. Dumbledore inspected the scar, taking care not to touch the pulse point. He nodded slightly before turning his piercing eyes at Harry's bewildered face.

"Since we have been using so many figures of speech throughout our conversation, I don't see a reason to stop now. Harry, you can have a seat again," Dumbledore let go of Harry's wrist and watched the young man sit down.

"I am sure you will agree with me if I boldly made the statement that Lord Voldemort is the spawn of the devil," he said quietly.

The three students looked shocked at Dumbledore's strong words. Ron gulped loudly at the ominous look on the Headmaster's face. Hermione nodded feebly before gasping with awareness.

She stuttered, "B- But, in that case, Harry would be – the child of… god?"

-x-

**A/N: **I'm an atheist. But that won't stop me from writing stories containing spiritual references. Well, that's just my reasoning when it comes to this chapter. I have no other explanation for what's happening to Harry, so I turned to the heavens ;D


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

Hermione stuttered, "B- But, in that case, Harry would be – the child of… god?"

Harry almost scoffed at the idea, but saw that Dumbledore was nodding in agreement.

"Wait a minute. That's just… preposterous. I mean, how could I be –" Harry was too flustered to finish his sentence.

"How could you not be, Harry," Dumbledore said gently. "You were destined to destroy the greatest evil the world has seen. Voldemort made you important. He made you who you are. When he destroyed your family, he made his own destroyer. You are a godsend to the world, Harry!"

"An angel," Hermione whispered. Her voice grew increasingly excited as she pieced all the information together. "Harry! You're an angel! Why didn't I see this before, all the signs were there! I mean, even before you got your wings, you – you fought Voldemort so many times and lived!"

"Coincidence," Harry said weakly.

"Harry, she's right," Ron croaked. He had been silently contemplating Hermione's words until then. "You were always there to save us whenever Voldemort attacked the school. You stopped him every time! How else do you explain it? It was difficult to notice before, but now you are so powerful, Harry. You could easily take on Voldemort _and_ his army with your magic!" Ron was practically bouncing on his seat.

"But why would I only get the wings now?" Harry asked.

"Because, Harry, _now_ you have the magic to sustain wings. _Now _you have the magic to be a Faravahar," Dumbledore said proudly.

"A guardian angel?" Hermione breathed. Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes. A guardian angel who was set free by the soul of a person no longer of this world – your godfather, Sirius Black," he said reverently.

Harry's felt the room spinning and he had to grasp Hermione's hand tighter in order to keep his head clear. "I don't understand," he said slowly.

"According to legends dating back to 4000 years ago, a Faravahar is a spirit guide who is sent down from heaven by an individual who has died. The soul of the deceased is sent down to earth to help fight against evil. In your case, Harry, Sirius gave you his magic to help you fight Voldemort. In ancient literature, it is said that the Faravahars had the power to control the stars, bring down rain, and create light. First and foremost, Faravahars are created to protect. Yesterday morning, you calmed the room in order to protect your friends from any distress. You saved Mr. Malfoy in order to stop his pain. You are our guardian angel, Harry Potter," Dumbledore said confidently.

Harry felt the excitement emitting from his two best friends. He was stunned as the puzzle pieces started to click into place. He stared at the scar of his wrist in revelation. He suddenly felt the urge to jump for joy and realized that the emotion was coming off of Ron, who was grinning wildly. Harry allowed himself a smile before looking at Dumbledore.

Harry took a deep breath. "Okay. Now what?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Now, I'd like to take a closer look at your wings, Harry," he said.

"Oh."

Ron and Hermione jumped up, pulling Harry along with them. Their eagerness was rubbing off on Harry.

"I don't really know what to do, sir," he said, standing uncomfortably in the office.

"According to Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley, all you would need to do is touch your scar and let the magic flow through you," Dumbledore said.

"Okay," Harry said nervously. He took off his robe and tie. As he was unbuttoning his shirt, he could feel Ron's envy and Hermione's infatuation spreading in his mind.

"Oh, come on, guys! It's not like you have never seen me with my shirt off before," he grumbled before remembering that Dumbledore was in the room too. The three Gryffindors blushed while Dumbledore laughed quietly.

Harry took a deep breath and calmed himself down. He lightly touched his right wrist with his left hand. He felt the twinge of pain flowing through his arm and into his heart. He tried not to fight the course of magic through his body. He could feel his limbs trembling and aching. He took another deep breath and suddenly felt growing warmth stirring in his chest and spreading to his shoulders. He hadn't been conscious the two times his wings had appeared before. Now he felt the feathers unfurling out of his shoulder blades. He held his breath as the wings spread majestically, grazing his spine. The wings opened around Harry slowly, displaying for the Headmaster's sake, and then folded smoothly towards Harry's back again, resting with the wing tips pointing to the floor.

"Simply marvelous," Dumbledore exclaimed, clapping his hand once.

Ron and Hermione were stunned at seeing Harry's wings again, especially now that he had control over its movements. Against Harry's chiseled yet young, pale skin, the dark wings looked resplendent. They didn't have any doubt in their minds that Harry was, indeed, their savior.

Dumbledore approached Harry slowly, beginning to feel the energy jumping out of the young man. He examined the wings in detail, asking Harry's permission before lightly touching it. Harry shivered when he felt Dumbledore's magic flowing around him. After a few minutes of silence and anticipation, Dumbledore walked back to his desk, his eyes brighter than usual.

"There is hope for this world yet," he said as he sat down in his chair.

-x-

"So, should we tell them?" Ron asked slyly, looking at Harry and Hermione. They were walking down to the Great Hall from Dumbledore's office. Harry's head was reeling from all that had happened within the span of an hour.

"Do you think they'd believe us?" Hermione asked.

"I don't believe it myself…" Harry added.

"What will we tell them? Do you want to just spill the beans and tell them everything?" Ron asked Harry pointedly.

Harry shrugged despondently. "I'm sure the news will get out one way or another."

"That's not an answer, Harry!" Ron exclaimed. They had reached the door to the Great Hall. Most of the students had already gathered for breakfast.

"Okay, we'll tell the seventh-years everything tonight, in the common room," Harry said, decisively. They deserved the truth.

The rest of the day was gone in a blur. Harry noticed that he was unable to pay attention in any of his classes. His mind kept floating back to their conversation with Dumbledore. He was surprised to find that he no longer had to put too much effort into shielding himself from stray emotions. Hermione theorized that as Harry became more in tuned to his wild magic, he'd be able to close his mind to the emotions with ease. Harry was glad, considering he spent a large part of his energy into focusing on his mind. After a pensive dinner, Harry could feel the anticipation in the common room.

The seventh-years were sitting around the fire, waiting for Harry to show up through the door. Hermione had asked the other Gryffindors to clear the room in lieu of the meeting being held. With much persistence, the seventh-years were able to file the other years into their respective dorm rooms.

Harry nervously sat down on the cushions laid out on the floor. His back was turned to the fire and the rest of the Gryffindors formed a loose circle around him.

"So I went to meet Professor Dumbledore today… Well, I guess you already knew that. And he gave me a lot to think about. He had explanations for everything that had been happening to me. It didn't make sense at first, but Ron and Hermione have been helping me understand. The thing is – well, he told me – it's hard to – er…" Harry stumbled over his words, not knowing how to break the news slowly.

"Oh for crying out loud," Hermione made a disparaging sound. She looked at Ron and they smirked.

"He's an angel," they said in unison.

The pandemonium that broke out in the common room was exactly how Harry had envisioned it.

Dean and Seamus were laughing hysterically, Lavender and Parvati were staring at Harry with open mouths and Neville was nodding knowingly.

"They're serious," the girls said, slapping the two guys.

"Wait, what?" Seamus' eyes bugged out. Dean swallowed loudly when he saw Harry's apologetic face. Harry shrugged helplessly.

"I thought you'd have had some clue when you saw my wings," Harry joked weakly.

-x-


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

**A/N: **I realized once I started writing that I really wanted to start calling Draco Malfoy 'Draco' instead of 'Malfoy'. He seems like a real person now that I've switched. Don't mind the discrepancy.

-x-

Draco was lounging on his hospital bed, reading the Quidditch Weekly when Harry showed up at the door. Draco raised his eyebrows in contempt before returning to his article. "I'm only going to say this once. Thanks, Potter. But don't expect anything else."

"I wasn't expecting much else anyway, Malfoy," Harry said. He pulled up a chair next to Draco's bed. He noticed that Draco looked much healthier. He wasn't as pallid as the day before. With a plain black tee and beige slacks, Draco looked much softer and more relaxed than he usually did. He was tall, taking up the entire bed easily with his long Seeker limbs. His hair was no longer slicked back. It was slightly ruffled from his sleep, contradicting the vibes Draco was giving off with his scowl. Harry marveled vaguely at the change. He was feeling comfortable in the room, and he was quick to realize that the reason for his calmness was because he couldn't feel any of Draco's emotions. _Like yesterday,_ Harry mused. He didn't push to feel Draco's emotions again, lest he start another episode.

"Then what do you want?" Draco sighed and flipped his magazine shut.

"Well, for starters, I want to know if you remember anything from yesterday. I mean, after you were knocked out."

"Potter, I was unconscious, hence the term 'knocked out'. What would I remember?"

"Alright, forget that. I also wanted to know why you raced out of the Great Hall? Madame Pomfrey thinks that the running caused your ribs to re-fracture."

"You just wanted to clear your conscience, then? Too bad for you. It _was _your fault. I could feel you digging around my mind, Potter. What were you doing?" Draco asked maliciously.

"What do you mean, you felt it? No one else feels me," Harry said, furrowing his brows.

Draco made an impatient sound and continued, "Well, no one else uses Occlumency around you, Potter. And are you done with the Spanish Inquisition now? I have better things to do than answering your dense questions," Draco picked up his subscription and noisily flipped the pages.

Harry leaned back in his chair, contemplating Draco's words. "You know, that still doesn't explain why you ran," he said, getting up from his seat. He stalled for a few moments before giving up and walking out of the room.

"What happened when I was out of it, Potter? I don't think I've ever seen you this flustered around me," Draco asked when Harry opened the door to let himself out.

"I can't read you, Malfoy. And that makes me nervous… Nothing happened yesterday," Harry said, pulling the door shut behind me.

-x-

Draco remembered the morning in the Great Hall very well. He was still startled from his accident and wasn't in the mood for pleasantries when he arrived for breakfast. That didn't stop Pansy Parkinson from drooling all over him. He tried to maintain a mask of composure and aloofness. But halfway through his breakfast he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He flashed his eyes over the large expanse of the room. That's when he noticed Harry watching him. He chose to ignore the Gryffindor, but Blaise made a point to bring it up.

"So, I've been noticing Potter staring at you for the past half-hour. Do you think he's waiting for your manners to suddenly sneak up on you?" Blaise asked naturally, trying to suppress his smile. Draco had yet to thank Harry for catching him during the game.

Draco glared at Blaise. "Maybe he's just disappointed with himself for saving my life," he said, trying to be flippant.

Daphne Greengrass smirked at Draco's remark. "Funny. He didn't seem all that disappointed on the pitch," she said, winking at Blaise.

"You people are so immature," Draco said, turning back to his breakfast. He was starting to lose his appetite when he felt a twinge in his mind. He quickly clamped down his conscience, trying to stop the intrusion. Looking up, he stared directly at Harry in time to see his mildly surprised face. He felt a stronger push in his mind, making him panic. _Is that Potter?_

His hands were starting to shake from his concentration. He felt a final, forceful entry into a mind, causing him to stumble out of his seat and race out the Great Hall. He didn't even hear his friends yelling for him because of the adrenaline pumping through him. _Someone's getting in my head. Fuck!_

Draco got up to the banister in the main foyer before he felt his ribs cracking, leaving him dazed with pain. The rest of the day was a blur. He remembered Harry and Blaise helping him get to the hospital wing. He remembered suffocating in the bed. But after that, he drew a blank.

-x-

_So what was Potter talking about?_ Draco pondered, setting his books aside on his bedside table after Harry left. _Maybe Blaise knows._ He spent the next couple of hours staring out the large bay window, waiting impatiently for another visitor. Since it was a weekday, he didn't get one until lunchtime. Blaise snuck in some bread pudding for Draco when he arrived.

"Thank Merlin you're here. I thought I was going to go crazy sitting here, twiddling my thumbs," Draco said before stuffing his face with a spoonful of dessert.

"You're such a pig, Draco," Blaise said, leaning against the wall beside the bed.

"You won't believe what she's feeding me. Ugh! Makes me shudder every time I think about it."

"Well, I'm sure you won't mind if I rubbed your face in your own heaping pile of –"

Draco interrupted before Blaise could finish his rant, "Oh my gosh, Blaise, how many times are you going to do that? Okay, I know. I did this to myself. I've already admitted that, like, three times… Sheesh!" He rolled his eyes before returning to his food.

Blaise smirked at his friend before sitting down on the chair, propping his feet up on the bed and grabbing a magazine off of the pile stacked on the table.

"So, Potter came to visit today," Draco tried to say the statement as nonchalantly as possible.

Blaise's jaw dropped and he let the book fall on his lap. "Um… Why?" he asked skeptically.

"Well, he wanted to know if I remembered anything after I had passed out. I have no idea what he meant and when I asked him, he walked away without telling me. That git…" Draco said derisively.

"Well, that git saved your life. Don't you forget it," Blaise said pursing his lips together into a straight line.

"Look, I'm grateful and all, but I don't want everyone making a fuss about it," Draco said, trying to keep his voice even.

"At least you two agree on something," Blaise muttered to himself before picking up the magazine.

"So, what happened after I had passed out?" Draco asked inquisitively.

"How many times do I have to repeat this to you, Draco? Okay, so Potter somehow knew you were in trouble and burst into your room. After you passed out, he told Professor Snape that he could help. Then he healed you, and now you're all better. Can we be done story time now?" Blaise explained impatiently.

"I'm sure you're missing lots of important bits in between, Blaise. Come on, please," Draco whined.

"Look, we were just sitting there after Madame Pomfrey kicked us out of your room. Potter was getting ready to leave, but he just changed directions and threw open that door. I don't know what got into him, but when I walked in here, you looked – well, dead. And Madame Pomfrey wasn't doing a very good job healing anything. After Professor Snape walked into the room, it was kinda crazy. They were arguing and we were just waiting here for them to work it out. Then Potter walked up to Professor Snape and asked if he could help. When you starting seizing, he put his hands on your ribs and – fixed you, I guess," Blaise finished.

_Fixed me?_ The phrase stirred something in Draco's mind, but he couldn't quite understand why. "So he just healed me… Willingly. This is messed up. He didn't even have his wand out? What exactly happened to him last summer?" Draco wondered, shaking his head in disbelief.

-x-


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

"Oh man, my life is never gonna be normal again," Harry groaned, dropping his head on the library table.

"Harry, when was your life ever normal?" Ron said distantly while trying to write his DADA assignment.

It hadn't taken long before rumors started to pop out around the school. Not many were that accurate. The most laughable one that reached Harry's ears was that he had been infected with the poison of some rabid bird, causing his body to sprout wings. Thankfully, the speculation between Harry and Draco had come to a standstill because both parties had kept their mouths shut. Most of the school thought that Harry had gotten into a fight with Draco, which was not unusual, and that's why Draco needed to go to the hospital wing for the second time in two days.

The Slytherin house was now exhibiting a new emotion whenever Harry was around. They feared him. Harry was slightly put off by this notion, but as Ron pointed out, if that meant they would stop harassing him then he should be happy.

During Charms and Transfiguration, Hermione was always prodding Harry to try using his wild magic to perform tasks. During one of the lessons, the students were required to change a pebble into a silver bell. After Hermione's insistent glares, Harry had tried to conjure up some wild magic, letting it flow through his wand. He imagined the pebble turning into a silver bell and cast his charm. Professor Flitwick was astonished when his entire class was suddenly filled with tinkling as all of the pebbles turned to self-ringing silver bells. The entire class stared at Harry when he yelped.

"Erk! Sorry, Professor," Harry had called out, trying to reverse his spell, which resulted in the bells floating up in the air and slowly gliding towards the door. Much to the amusement of the class, they had to spend the next hour trying to catch the flying bells before any escaped.

"Good effort, Mr. Potter," Professor Flitwick said weakly once the class was over. Harry ducked his head and his face flushed with embarrassment. He scowled at Hermione, not at all appreciating her approving smirk.

In Potions, he was glad he didn't have to do any magic using his wand, since it seemed to lead to unexpected consequences. He tried to shake the queasy feeling the Slytherins made him feel. He was glad that Professor Snape had desisted his efforts at picking on Harry. He suspected that it had something to do with him saving Draco's life.

Harry also noticed that every class he had with Draco, he was being watched. Not so much with hostility as with curiosity. Whenever Harry turned around to look at the Slytherin, he had been watching Harry. Draco never blushed when Harry caught him staring. He merely raised his eyebrow, questioning.

"I wish he'd stop," Harry confided in Ron.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe Malfoy wants to talk," Ron said.

"You're right, I can't believe you just said that," Harry voiced in mock surprise.

-x-

_Potter _has_ changed over the summer_, Draco thought in DADA. He was sitting in the back row, as always, with Blaise and Theo Nott. He chose this spot because he knew it provided the greatest vantage point. It also didn't hurt the fact that the professor was unable to watch them closely enough to know when they were dozing off. From this shadowed spot, Draco was watching Harry interact with his friends.

"Look, I know he's all attractive now, but if you don't stop looking, he's going to get some bad ideas," Blaise hissed. Draco silently flipped him his fingers, sleepily watching Harry. _He's grown. I used to be so much taller than him. And now he's almost caught up. I suppose I won't be able to look down my nose at him anymore_. Draco smiled smugly when the thought ran through his head. _I'd be hard-pressed to win in a fight with him. He's got some major muscle mass_. Draco was less pleased at this thought. He had always been the stronger of the two, physically. He had always had the advantage of being the tallest and most nimble. But now he and Harry were almost evenly matched. _In a squabble, who knows which way it would tip_, Draco thought, unconsciously running his fingers down his healed ribs.

Harry whipped his head back when he felt the faint prickle of someone watching him. In the shadows at the back, the blond Slytherin had his head on the desk, his chin placed on his hands. Draco's lids were half-closed, but he was watching Harry nonetheless. _What is your problem, Malfoy_, Harry thought. He mouthed, "What?" knowing Draco had seen his gesture. Draco shrugged his shoulders and pulled his mouth into a – _wait, he's smiling at me?_ Harry was dumbfounded at this. He quickly blinked his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. By then Draco's smile had turned into a full sneer. _Never mind._ Harry turned back to the lecture, quickly catching up on the notes.

_His face has changed too… For the better,_ Draco thought absently. _That's one major growth spurt._ He stretched his arms over his head, trying to stay awake for the last few minutes of class. He had been wiling away the time by doodling on his parchment, knowing that Theo would lend him the notes in the Slytherin common room. Blaise looked at Draco disapprovingly before returning to the lecture.

"I thought that class would never finish," Draco said as they were packing their bags to leave after DADA had ended.

Blaise and Theo tutted reproachfully. The three were just leaving the darkened classroom when Harry's voice came up behind them.

"Er… Malfoy, could we talk?" he asked, unsure of himself.

Draco cocked his eyebrows derisively before asking, "About what, Potter?"

"I thought – I should explain. You know, about what happened this week," Harry said, furious with himself for letting Ron talk him into this.

"Yeah, he'll talk," Blaise made the decision for Draco.

"I – What? I don't have anything to say," Draco said, miffed at Blaise for talking for him.

"Whatever. Clearly Potter has something to say, so hear him out. We'll be at the common room," Blaise said. He dragged a stunned Theo away from Draco and Harry, leaving them alone in the hallway.

The two glared at each other warily, not talking for a few moments. Each of their hands had automatically grasped their wands through their pockets.

"Look, Malfoy, I don't want to fight you. I just want to explain what happened in the hospital ward. I know, I should have talked to you back there, but I was trying to sort it all in my head too. And now, Dumbledore gave me some answers to my questions, so I thought that I owed you a few explanations too," Harry said rapidly.

"You don't owe me anything, Potter," Draco glowered, despite getting increasingly curious.

Harry was quiet for a minute. "You know what, you're right," he suddenly said, vehemently. Draco took a step back when he heard Harry's sudden anger. Harry continued, spitting out his words forcefully, "I don't owe you shit, but _you_ owe _me_! I saved you, _twice_. So if I want you to hear me out, then you _will_ listen." Harry took a deep breath to calm down mentally. Draco's mask of composure had slipped for a moment when he heard Harry's explosion, but now it was back and it was looking languidly at Harry.

"Okay, so tell me," Draco said, leaning his shoulder against the wall.

Harry hadn't expected Draco to give in so quickly, so he gaped when Draco waited expectantly. "Well – I'm new to this, and all. I mean it's only been, like, three weeks into the school year. And so much has happened –"

"Look, I don't want to hear your sob story, just tell me what happened Sunday morning," Draco interrupted, abruptly stopping Harry's flustered explanation.

"R- right. Well, yeah, I was trying to get in your head that morning. But not in that way. After last summer, some things changed – and now I can feel people's emotions when I'm around them. Bloody pain in the neck… Anyway, I can now focus on finding the person's emotion and I was trying that with you. I wasn't practicing Legilimency on you… I just wanted you to know that," Harry finished quickly.

If Draco was surprised by what he'd heard, he didn't show it. "So, when you said you couldn't read me, you meant you couldn't feel my emotions? Okay, that makes sense. And what happened when I was passed out, Potter? You seemed all frazzled when you asked me. I can't remember a thing after you and Blaise dragged me to Madame Pomfrey. And Blaise is no help; he keeps leaving things out when he talks to me about that day," Draco hoped Harry wouldn't walk away again without answering his questions.

Harry sighed at Draco's question. He knew Draco deserved to know what was done to him. "How are your ribs?" he asked, stalling.

"Um… Fine," Draco murmured.

"When your health started to decline, I guess your Occlumency didn't hold up because I could feel – I sensed your pain. So I thought that maybe I could help. Professor Snape and Madame Pomfrey were busy squabbling over, well, who knows what. And then –" Harry hesitated at this point. Draco had been quietly listening.

"Well, I know you're going to think I'm crazy, but this is what happened. Um, you were in my head. Like, your consciousness was in my head, and you were telling me to fix you. I didn't know what you were talking about. But you said… I don't know, you somehow knew that I could heal you. So I asked Professor Snape if it was alright to help. He didn't stop me. I could feel you fading away in my mind. When you started seizing –" Harry didn't want to add the part about his scar. "When you started seizing, it's like I knew what I was supposed to do. Some of my wild magic leapt out and healed your lung and ribs. It drained me a bit, but – Well, here you are," Harry ended weakly.

"That sounds _very_ crazy, Potter," Draco said thoughtfully. "But with you, I suppose anything's possible. So I was in your head, asking you to fix me?"

"Well, more like you stomped your feet and threw a tantrum in my head," Harry said in an amused manner.

"Yeah, that sounds more like me," Draco muttered to himself. "Just how powerful are you, Potter?" he asked louder.

Harry blushed deeply at this question. He shrugged helplessly.

"I suppose that explains the wings. Wild magic can have side effects," Draco pondered Harry's words. Harry guffawed when he thought of his wings as side effects.

"Well, I guess I should go now. If I'm gone for too long, I'm sure Neville's going to send out a search party," Harry said, turning to leave.

"Wait, Potter. You tell me all this and you leave without saying _how _you got your wild magic?" Draco said. "That hardly sounds fair," he said, grabbing Harry's sleeve. His finger accidently touched Harry's wrist. The hair on Harry's neck stood up on end.

_Fuck, not now_, Harry thought as he felt his magic stirring. "Malfoy, let go," Harry said through gritted teeth, trying to control the tremors going thorough his body. He looked back at Draco fiercely.

Draco quickly dropped his hand from Harry's robes. Harry was trembling like a leaf. "Hey, you alright?" Draco asked, seeing Harry's eyes clench shut.

Harry put his back against the wall and leaned in with all his force, trying to suppress the magic from spilling. _ I sure as hell don't want to sprout wings in front of Malfoy_. He started to clear his mind, letting peace fill him. He calmed every part of his body, feeling the magic leave each limb slowly. Very gradually, he felt his magic subsiding, leaving him drained. His sight was wavering slightly when he opened his eyes. A bout of dizziness spread through him. He quickly squeezed his eyes shut, but he couldn't stop himself from falling forwards.

"Fuck, Potter," Draco huffed when Harry fell heavily onto him. Harry's hands latched onto Draco's robes as he tried to prop himself back up on the wall. Draco pushed him back, holding him steady. Harry was breathing rapidly, trying to overcome his nausea.

"If you chuck all over me, I will not hesitate to pull out my wand and hex you," Draco muttered. Harry chuckled quietly.

"Sorry, I didn't think repressing the magic would do this to me," Harry's voice wavered.

"I – I didn't do this, did I?" Draco asked unsteadily.

"You did. But it's alright, you didn't know," Harry murmured more to himself that to Draco. He absently stared at the scar on his wrist. "Sometimes, when you touch it, the wild magic just comes out of me."

"Oh… Crap! Sorry!" Draco apologized before he could catch himself.

Harry looked at him wondrously before smiling warily. "Just be glad I stopped it, else you'd have seen me with huge ass wings," he said, standing up straighter.

Draco gaped at Harry's indifference before realizing that he was still holding Harry up against the wall. He quickly let go and regained his composure. "Oh yeah, since I'm the only person in this school who has yet to see you with those. It's hardly worth the effort, stopping me from witnessing the great miracle, St. Potter," Draco said sarcastically.

Harry stared sharply at Draco before blushing again. "I've got to go, Malfoy. I'll see you around," he stuttered before picking up his book bag and walking to his common room.

"Yeah, whatever, Potter," Draco answered, watching Harry leave.

"And for heaven's sake, stop staring at me," Harry called out without turning around. Draco sniggered at Harry's back before heading down to the dungeons.

-x-


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

"Well, Malfoy's certainly being less of an ass to you," Seamus noted. Draco barely glanced at the Gryffindors when he walked past them in the hallway.

"Yeah, that might have something to do with the fact that Harry _saved his life_," Dean said, rolling his eyes.

Harry smiled uncomfortably. His entire house was treating him as though he were a venerable idol. They didn't contradict or fight with him. They were very respectful and quiet when he was around. _Thank goodness Ron and Hermione are still the same. Er, not exactly the same I guess, now that they're –_ Harry shuddered before he finished his thought. _Dating._

Ron had finally plucked up the courage to ask Hermione out to the Three Broomsticks around the start of October. Hermione was all too happy to oblige. Now, Harry flinched, every time the two of them were together, they felt like they needed to display their fondness to each other. The handholding and brief kisses, Harry could handle. But the long make-out sessions on the plush couches in front of the fire was more than he could take. Seamus, Dean, and Harry would gag at the sight and scuttle off to the library at those times.

"So, how're your lessons going, Harry?" Dean asked. He was talking about Harry's private lessons that he had every week in the Room of Requirements. Harry grinned and replied, "Great!"

And he had good reason to be ecstatic. His teacher was Remus Lupin. Being taught by his godfather's best friend was an honor and he cherished every minute of it. His classes had started near the end of September. He had received a note from Albus Dumbledore, stating that he was to start his lessons that night in the Room of Requirements. Harry had been nervous about what the lessons entailed, but his entire house was encouraged by the news.

Harry arrived on the seventh floor and stood in front of the tapestry. He wasn't sure what to ask the room to do, so he decided to wait for his new teacher. He was sitting down on the floor, reading his Transfigurations textbook when he heard the light footsteps coming his way. He had just pulled himself up on to his feet when he was pulled into a tight hug.

"It's wonderful to see you again, Harry!" Remus Lupin exclaimed after a few moments.

"I – Remus… What are you doing here?" Harry asked, a grin firmly splitting his face.

"Why, I'm your teacher!" he said, his eyes twinkling.

Harry felt his heart jump for joy. "That's brilliant!"

When they finally entered the room, Harry couldn't stop himself from laughing with enthusiasm. The space was large, with tinted windows dotting the walls. The view out the windows was of the lake. There were couches placed in front of a very large fireplace. A magnificent mahogany table was present in the middle of the room. On the table were many different curios, all of which would pertain to Harry's lessons. There was a small kitchenette in one corner, filled with potions and chocolates. "What would our lessons be without chocolates," Remus explained when Harry looked questioningly at him. Many of Remus' cages of creatures graced another wall. Harry remembered most from his DADA classes in third year.

"Oh, we're going to be using Boggarts again, aren't we," Harry said, watching the large cupboard rattle.

"Of course!" Remus said, settling down on one of the couches. He watched his student studying the oddities on the table. Remus was taken aback by how much Harry had changed. Harry was no longer the young boy Sirius used to dote on; he was the man Sirius had hoped he would become.

After a few minutes of silence, Harry turned to Remus. "Shall we begin?" he asked, his eyes shining brightly.

Their first lesson found Harry explaining his changes to Remus at great lengths. He talked to Remus about the first couple of weeks when he had started to grow accustomed to the emotions brought on by his peers. Remus had been surprised to find that Harry was so sensitive to his surroundings. He was even more surprised to learn that Harry wasn't able to read emotions when the person was practicing Occlumency. He beamed proudly when Harry told him how he had healed Draco's injuries. Once Harry finished his anecdotes, he looked expectantly at Remus.

Remus nodded and fell silent for several minutes, contemplating Harry's words. "Lily always said you were her little angel. I never saw it coming true…" he said wistfully. "Dumbledore asked me to teach you to control your wild magic. I would like to experience this magic for myself, Harry. Would you mind?" he asked.

"Of course not!" Harry said. "What do you need to see?"

"Are you able to bring out your magic without wings? I want you to learn to control the amount of power flowing through you, like you did when you healed Malfoy. You need to invest your energy into doing something else, thus stopping your wings from emerging."

"What should I do to stop my magic from overflowing?"

"Well, lets start with something simple. See if you can heal those wilting flowers without your wand," Remus said, getting up off the sofa and walking towards one of the windows.

Harry chuckled. "That's not all that simple, Remus. Yeah, I'll try."

Harry walked over to the wilting hibiscus plant that was sitting desolately in the large pot on the windowsill. He took a deep breath and moved to touch his scar. Remus' hand stopped him.

"No, Harry, I don't want you to become dependent on that scar. I want to know if you can bring out the magic _without _it," he said softly, letting go of Harry's hand.

"I've tried, Remus, but I don't know how to," Harry said, remembering to the incident in the hospital wing.

"When you touch your scar, you feel the magic running through you, don't you? Focus on the feeling. Think about what your body is going through at those times. Pretend like you touched your scar. The power of the mind mustn't be underestimated, Harry," Remus said comfortingly.

Harry sighed as tried to concentrate on the pain he feels whenever he touched the scar. He tried to emulate the same pain in his mind, feeling it warp from his wrist to his heart. For a second, he felt a twinge in his stomach, but it quickly settled. He concentrated harder, trying to feel the power rushing through his body. He looked helplessly at Remus when nothing happened.

"It's alright, Harry, you're doing marvelously," Remus assured him

Harry closed his eyes and took a calming breath before trying again. He tried to imagine the flowers slowly reviving, glowing bright red against the setting sun. He put his hands on the shriveled leaves, imagining magic flowing through his body and into the plant. He pushed the pain through his wrist and into his heart. He felt his head buzzing as Harry felt a slight rush moving through his body.

"It's working," he breathed. He felt some of the tingling leaving his fingers and jumping onto the leaves. Remus held his breath when he saw the leaves gaining color and shape. "Yes, it is, Harry," he said quietly.

"Wait, Remus, I can't stop," Harry's voice sounded far away in his own head. He could feel the heady rush of magic. It was slowly building up in his body. He could feel his shoulders shifting. Harry tried to push more magic out of his fingers and into the plant, keeping his wings from appearing. He started to suppress his magic as he had done with Draco. He moved the magic from his shoulders and into his arms. He felt the power exit his body very slowly, leaving him breathless and unsteady. He opened his glazed eyes to see Remus' shocked face. "What?" he croaked as he closed his eyes again and steadied himself against the wall.

"That," Remus exclaimed excitedly pointing at the plant. Harry opened his eyes again to look at the pot. "Oh," he said mildly.

He had succeeded in healing the plant. What he didn't expect was to find the window covered with creepers and bright flowers. The sunlight filtered through the ivy, casting green shadows on the floor. Tendrils twirled merrily around the window frame as the climber moved up the wall. Small petals were floating gently to the floor and more flowers kept blooming for a few moments. Finally the plant stopped growing and look resplendent as it rested against the window.

"I couldn't stop," Harry muttered, gazing at the full sized flowers that were gently swaying.

"You look dead tired, Harry. It seems suppressing the magic takes more out of you than releasing it," Remus said, handing Harry a small slab of chocolate.

After a few minutes, Harry felt well enough to walk towards the couch. "So, how was that for a first lesson?" he asked, cheekily.

"You never cease to amaze me, Harry Potter," Remus grinned appraisingly.

The next two classes were similar. Remus made Harry control his wild magic by giving him a task to do and having him concentrate on accomplishing it without a wand. With each passing week, Harry was able to control more of his power, reigning in any unwanted magic before it could burst out. The lessons were doubly more enjoyable since he got to hang out with Remus.

Of course, the press was having a field day with Harry's new developments. Thanks to Albus Dumbledore's quick thinking, no photos had been released to the public. Speculations were abundant and the students at Hogwarts were more than willing to talk about it, but without photos, the news seemed to have less precedence. Whenever Harry and his friends went to Hogsmeade during the weekend, reporters were ready to snap photos of his wings. Every weekend the press would go home empty-handed and disappointed.

"Why don't they just give up?" Ron asked, frustrated with having to walk around all the newscasters.

"They wouldn't be that great at what they were doing if they gave up so easily," Hermione said sensibly.

At times, Harry felt he needed to escape from his life. He always seemed to end up in front of the lake during those urges. He would sit under the tree, watching the orange autumn leaves drop around him. He couldn't feel any emotions when he was down there on his own. He liked to pretend that nothing had happened. He pretended that his parents were still alive, that Sirius visited him everyday, that his life was normal.

It was on one such day that he came upon a realization.

-x-


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

Harry was leaning his head against the tree, staring up at the balding branches. The quiet waves were softly touching the shore of the lake, bringing in a cool breeze. Halloween was approaching. He was trying to decide what he wanted to be for the Halloween feast when he heard soft footsteps approaching him. He sighed resignedly, waiting for the inevitable intrusion his mind was about to feel. He frowned when he felt nothing. He turned his head sideways and found Draco watching him intently.

"Malfoy, I'm not in the mood for a fight," Harry said quietly, looking out into the lake.

"Good, I'm not in the mood either, Potter," he replied. They were silent for a while. Harry heard Draco shifting on the grass. He looked at Draco and found him lying down on the grass with his eyes closed. _He's never been that comfortable around me. Wonder what's up…_ Harry shrugged to himself.

"I ran because I didn't want anyone to read my mind," Draco said eventually.

"Um, what are you talking about?" Harry asked, sitting up.

"You asked me why I ran. So now I'm telling you."

"Okay," Harry was bewildered by Draco's openness.

After a length of time, Harry's mind came up with the obvious question. "Why?"

"Hmm?" Draco mumbled.

"Why don't you want anyone in your head?"

"Besides the obvious reasons? I like my privacy," Draco said tersely.

Harry scoffed at his blatant lie. "Yeah, privacy is the only reason for a person to use Occlumency every day of the week."

"Hey, just because you're terrible at it doesn't mean you should feel jealous of me," Malfoy said evenly.

Harry gaped at Malfoy's prone body. With a flick of his wand, Harry could easily turn him into a dancing fool. But he had a feeling that Draco wouldn't appreciate that, so he kept his mouth shut.

The sun was setting slowly down the lake. Harry shook himself free of leaves before getting up. He stretched out the kinks in his legs before strolling over to Draco. "Thanks for the chat," he said mildly. Draco got up on his elbows, squinting at Harry. He nodded silently.

Harry walked back to the castle when he felt his mind clearing again. _Did I just have a civil conversation with Malfoy?_

-x-

Draco groaned as he lay back down on the grass. He was making an utter fool of himself. If Blaise saw him right now, he'd be laughing until tears ran down his face. _I can't believe I told Potter that! I practically spilled my guts to that stupid git._ He was even more surprised when Harry hadn't prodded further. _He could've easily gotten some dirt on me if he'd asked_. And what was more; Harry had _thanked_ him for the talk.

Draco got up on his feet after a few minutes and trudged towards his common room. _I can't believe I just had a heart-to-heart with Harry fucking Potter?_

-x-

The Halloween Ball was starting in less than two hours. The Gryffindor common room was decorated with softly lit pumpkins and cobwebs. In the corner stood a frozen mummy, wrapped creatively in orange toilet paper. The tables and floors were littered with candy wrappers. Butterbeer had been flowing freely for hours now, slightly intoxicating the students. Harry gave creative props to Hermione for the decorations and for his outfit.

With her help, he was able to create a costume mirroring the Phantom of the Opera. Hermione found it amusing that she had convinced Harry to go to the banquet as the 'Angel of Music'. He had on a half of a white mask that covered the top half of his face, ending abruptly before it reached his lips. Hermione had charmed Harry's eyes so that he could see without glasses for a few hours. All he needed was a smart tuxedo to complete his outfit. Hermione had pulled all the stops when it came to dressing Harry up. She'd sighed with content after fiddling with Harry's messy hair and straightening his vest. He tried to ignore the lust and adoration that surrounded him from the other students when he walked out of his dorm room.

Ron and Hermione had decided to dress up as house-elves, much to Ron's chagrin. They had charmed large elf ears on themselves and wore ill-fitting clothes. They were adorable because Hermione had somehow managed to create the same wide, glassy eyes that house-elves often had. Harry laughed with amusement when he saw Hermione dragging Ron into the common room. Ron threw him a murderous look, shutting him up abruptly.

"She gave you the best costume ever, and I have to walk around all night in _this_!" Ron muttered under his breath when he'd settled on the couch with Harry.

"Aw, you look absolutely ravishing in those yellow pants and green apron, Ron," Harry said, his voice breaking with mirth. Ron scowled at Harry again. They spent the hour eating sweets and heartily laughing at all of the costumed students that were starting to leave their own dorm rooms. Soon the Gryffindor common room was filled with centaurs, ghosts, banshees, vampires, fairies, and any other mythical creature you could think of.

Hermione cleared her throat importantly, a hilarious sight seeing as how her ears were twitching and her large unblinking eyes were staring modestly at everyone. "It's time to head down everyone!" she said.

With a cheer, the house filed down the many stairs and into the Great Hall. The roof of the Great Hall was enchanted with live bats and floating candles. The ghosts were swooping down the hall, not bothering to swerve around the students. The staff was already present at the table, chatting amicably. The house tables were in utter chaos, filled with students who were running on a sugar high. Being seventh year, and finally of age, Harry was astonished to see that his goblet was filled with Firewhiskey. Seamus took a long pull from his glass and Hermione was sipping at hers hesitantly. Harry was pleasantly surprised to find the mild alcohol warming his mouth. He quickly swallowed, feeling his insides warming up as well.

"This is great!" he shouted to Ron over the din. Ron was grinning as he took another swig from his. The food consisted of more sugar and less salt. Apparently, even the professors seemed to think that sugary goodness once a year couldn't possibly harm the students. The tables were crawling with chocolate spiders (which Ron was steering clear of), gummy snakes, and gumdrop beetles. Pumpkin pies were abundant as were turkey legs and mashed potatoes. Dinner lasted two hours, and after the students were full to the brim with candy, the tables were cleared and moved out of the way in lieu of the dance.

Hermione was quick to drag Ron onto the dance floor. Ron looked back at Harry pitifully, knowing that resistance was not going to stop his girlfriend from making him dance. The hall was rapidly filling with a whole assortment of students. Harry was leaning against the wall, watching the dancers with amusement. He knew that many of the girls were watching his expectantly, waiting for him to ask someone to dance. _Like hell I'm going to dance._

"You should really stop tormenting those girls, Potter," Draco's calm voice resounded in Harry's ear. Harry chortled and turned towards Draco. His eyes widened with surprise when he saw Draco's costume. He started laughing hard when he saw the twisted horns on Draco's blond head and the three-pronged spear he was carrying. He was wearing a red suit to complete his outfit.

"This costume suits you, Malfoy," Harry said blinking away his tears.

Draco scowled and said, "Well, this wasn't my idea…"

Harry shook his head in disbelief. "So whose idea was it?" Before Draco could open his mouth to answer, Pansy Parkinson appeared at his side. She was wearing a skimpy red dress with devil horns on her head. "Ah, yes. It's the whole package then," Harry said, bursting out into laughter again.

"Potter. Shut up," Pansy and Draco said in unison, making Harry laugh harder.

"It's like you are made for each other," he said dreamily.

Draco made a face at Harry before turning to Pansy. "Go bug Blaise for a while," he said airily. Pansy huffed and started to protest, but Draco had already turned back to Harry. She scowled and stomped off in search of another poor soul to torture.

"Well, that was rude," Harry said, grinning at Draco.

"With Pansy, you need to be rude for anything to make sense," Draco said, leaning his spear against the wall. He ran his hand through his hair, taking care not to touch the horns.

"Uncomfortable?" Harry asked.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Draco said, watching the gyrating students.

"Are you talking about the horns or the dance?" Harry asked, making conversation.

"If these horns aren't gone by tomorrow, I'll personally see to Pansy's demise. The dance, I'm fine with… You're looking… decent," Draco said after a pause.

Harry turned his emerald eyes at Draco. Draco saw through the mask that they were wide with shock. After a moment, Harry's face split into an embarrassed smile.

"Thanks," he mumbled. "Hermione helped me with it."

"Granger has good taste in clothes. I must say her taste in men are quite lacking, though," Draco said, pointing at Ron's flushed face.

"Malfoy, those are my friends you're talking about. Lay off," Harry said, smiling despite himself. He did not miss the fact that Draco had just called Hermione by her last name instead of 'mudblood'.

The loud music was starting to pound into Harry's head. He turned to Draco and asked, "Wanna get out of here? It's way too loud for me."

Draco looked surprised for a moment before making up his mind. He smirked and nodded. The two boys slunk away towards the door and out into the main foyer. A few students dotted the corners, most of them passionately making out, a few of them uncomfortably sitting together. Harry jerked his head out of the door and Draco followed him outside. They walked in silence towards the lake, starting to feel comfortable in each other's presence.

They sat down on the dying grass, watching the moon overhead.

"Why did you save me, Potter? It's a well known fact that you happen to hate my guts," Draco said, suddenly snapping Harry back to reality.

"Malfoy, I don't hate your guts enough to let you die!" Harry said, shocked at Draco's question. "Besides, I'm sure you'd have saved me too, if I were in your position."

Draco made a disparaging noise before becoming silent. After a moment, he quickly got on his feet and started pacing. Harry watched for a little while before turning his gaze back at the lake.

Draco looked at Harry's lips pursing together as he started to whistle. _He doesn't just look decent – he looks fucking hot!_ Draco's mind screamed. Mortified, he tried to shut his brain down. _Where'd that come from,_ Draco thought, feeling his face burning. But once that thought had popped up into his mind, he could stop his brain from racing.

Of course, he'd noticed Harry before. Like a boy notices his enemy. But, now Harry had changed. He was a more mature version, completely different from the previous years. Now Draco noticed Harry for entirely different reasons. Like a man notices other attractive men.

Draco had always gotten what he'd wanted, so when Harry refused to befriend him, Draco had taken it upon himself to hate him. When Harry finally started to talk to Draco like he was a real person this year, Draco started to feel his hate waning. _Maybe it was never hate. Maybe it was just jealousy_, Draco thought as he paced. Harry had always seemed content with whatever he had. His happiness had always fueled Draco's envy.

"You're going to wear a hole in the ground, Malfoy," Harry said quietly.

Draco stumbled to a halt. He walked back to where Harry was sitting and sat down beside him. _Damned Blaise. Probably saw this coming all along_. He remembered Blaise's quirked mouth every time he had to listen to Draco ranting on and on about Harry. He tried to squelch his memories when he heard Harry talk to him again.

"Shouldn't you be getting back to Pansy?" he asked, a smile tugging his lips. _Those perfect lips_.

Draco shrugged, "She won't care."

"Why are you here, Malfoy?" Harry asked, finally fed up of dancing around the question. _I never thought I'd ever joke around with Malfoy._

"You intrigue me, Potter," Draco said in his matter-of-fact tone. _I'll leave it at that, and I hope to Merlin he doesn't ask any more questions_.

"The feeling's mutual," Harry said, watching Draco's lips slide into a smile. Not a smirk, or a sneer. Harry chuckled at Draco's expression, which had now quickly changed from a smile to a scowl.

"What?" Draco asked.

"Nothing," Harry said, feeling the Firewhiskey getting to his head. "Just hallucinating," he said, sighing happily.

"Potter… Are you drunk?" Draco enquired, shocked.

Harry laughed at the absurdity of that statement. Then he frowned slowly. "Um… I don't think so. I've never been drunk before."

"How many glasses of whiskey did you have?"

"Two, I think."

Draco laughed, "You're a lightweight, Potter?"

Harry shoved Draco, his hands moving a tad slower than he wanted them to.

"So that explains why you're acting so strangely," Draco said, sniggering.

"Well, if you're gonna keep antagonizing me, I'm gonna go back," Harry said, struggling to his feet. His eyes were moving unsteadily as he tried to balance.

"Potter, sit back down," Draco said, grabbing Harry's hand and pulling his down. Harry plopped on the grass, looking dazed.

"Being drunk feels amazing…" Harry mused softly, his eyes getting increasingly unfocused every few minutes. Within a few minutes, he was squinting to make out Draco's face.

"What's up with your face, Potter?"

"Hermione's charm wore off. I can't see," Harry said, pouting. Draco laughed at Harry's inebriated face. He pulled out his wand and mumbled another focusing charm on Harry.

"Hey, I can see again!" Harry said happily, staring at Draco's amused face.

"Yeah, thanks to me, and don't you forget it," Draco laughed, stowing away his wand.

Harry slumped his back onto the grass, gazing at the stars through his mask. Draco watched Harry's blissful face for a few moments before snapping himself back to the present.

"I never forget," Harry said eventually. His head turned towards Draco's lazily. Draco's breath hitched in his throat as he watched Harry smile at him.

-x-

**A/N: ** I know, I know… About time something even remotely slash-y happened. But I need to develop my story; I can't just go straight to the slash!


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

Harry was starting to doze off by the lake, finally coming down from his sugar high. "I think I should get back to the castle," he murmured.

"Yeah, me too," Draco said, pushing himself up. They had been silently watching the lake for over an hour by then. It seemed so natural to both of them, getting lost in their thoughts.

Harry slowly sat up, making sure the world was still sky up and ground down. He gingerly got on his feet, feeling less groggy than earlier. "Well, I think I'm feeling much better now. Or is it worse?"

Draco chuckled at Harry's confused look and started walking back to the castle. Harry followed blearily, trying to keep his eyes focused on his goal – the castle door. At least he could walk straight, it seemed his mind was the only part of him that was still intoxicated.

"I had fun today, Malfoy. I haven't had fun in a while," Harry said.

Draco faltered when he heard this admission. "Yeah. You're life's been a bit crazier than usual, huh?"

"Pfft, you could say that again," Harry replied.

"You aren't such bad company either, Potter," Malfoy said finally as they reached the castle doors.

Harry smiled again, making Draco's stomach flutter. He quickly turned around so Harry wouldn't notice his cheeks flushing pink.

"Does this mean we're friends?" Harry asked boldly.

"Yeah, whatever, Potter," Draco said while walking away with a grin.

-x-

"Where the hell have you been all night?" Pansy asked Draco. The Slytherins were slowly making there way back to their common room.

"I had to take a walk. Get some fresh air into me," Draco said vaguely. He heard Blaise's snicker behind him. He turned and glared at his friend before smiling sweetly at Pansy. She didn't take the bait.

"For an hour? You missed the best part of the dance!" she exclaimed.

"But you had fun with Blaise, didn't you?"

"Well, Blaise is not you, Draco," Pansy said, fluttering her eyelashes. Draco sighed and tried to push her away from him. They entered the common room and continued to eat and drink the night away.

It was past one by the time Draco dragged himself into bed. Blaise pulled on his pajamas and jumped into his bed, dragging his covers up.

"So… Had fun with Potter?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows. He barely had time to deflect one of Draco's hexes before a pillow hit him square in the face. "Hey, no fair! I was the one left alone with that she-devil when you went flouncing off after your hero," Blaise said the last part with a sigh and an eyelash flutter.

"Fuck. You," Draco said, vehemently, lying down on his bed, covering his head with his blanket. "This can't be happening, Blaise…"

"Oh, but it is, Draco. I can't say I didn't warn you."

-x-

Ron was laughing madly at Harry's confounded face. Neville, Ginny, and Harry had somehow landed in a heap in front of the Fat Lady. Harry's head was buzzing from the third goblet of Firewhiskey that was forced on him by Seamus. He was blinking happily at the ceiling before Ron jostled him off the floor and onto his feet.

"Harry, you're wasted!" Ron said, laughing through his tears.

"So are you, Ron," Harry replied prudently before stumbling into his common room.

The Gryffindors had yet to stop their festivities. Although a few students were dropping onto the couches in exhaustion, the rest were merrily talking and eating all around the common room. Hermione was trying to fend off an amorous and drunk Ron. Ginny and Neville were holding hands and talking by the fire. Dean was happily snogging Lavender. Seamus was drinking, what a shocker. Everyone was doing something except for Harry. He didn't mind though, since he'd somehow ended up on the rug of the common room. His mind was racing, but his body had given up on keeping up. He stared happily at the commotion around him, thinking about the dinner, the costumes, the hilarious dance moves Ernie MacMillan taught everyone, his talks with Draco, Draco's smile, his eyes. _Wait a minute_, Harry sat up quickly. _What? I must be drunker than I thought_.

Harry took a deep breath and got up steadily. He hadn't been able to keep his mind shut from all the emotions after the three drinks he had had. He was tired of feeling each person's happiness, love, heartbreak, and anger. He mumbled his good nights to his friends and managed to pull himself into bed. He realized that he still had his mask on. He took it off and set it on the bedside table, and without bothering to slip out of his tuxedo, fell onto his pillows. He was asleep in seconds.

-x-

"Wow, what happened last night?" Harry asked, blinking groggily at the sun. He was sitting on his bed, still feeling slightly dizzy. He hadn't drunk enough to have a hangover, unlike Seamus, who had apparently spent his night hanging around the toilet.

"I don't know, but my head bloody pounds," Ron said, flipping over on his stomach and clutching the pillow against his forehead.

"I told you not to drink so much, Ron," Harry said, getting off his bed and stretching.

Neville laughed quietly from his bed at Harry's sleep attire. "I was too messed up to even change?" Harry exclaimed. "Hermione is going to kill me if she finds out!"

After a quick bathroom run, Harry felt as good as new. He remembered snippets from last night. The food, the music, the lake, Draco. He remembered extending his friendship to him. He thought Draco had said yes, but he couldn't be sure. _Oh, the things you do when you're intoxicated_.

Breakfast was a somber affair for the seventh years. Many had bloodshot eyes and slight green faces. They flinched at any loud shouts or bangs, annoyed with themselves for having lost control. Harry took his seat at his table and flicked his eyes over to Draco. The blond Slytherin was happily chatting with Blaise and Theo. Harry smirked when he saw Pansy with her head on the table, snoring away. Draco looked Harry's way and winked slightly before returning his attention to Theo's stories. Harry was taken aback by the simple gesture. _Damn, I wish I could read him like everyone else_.

Since it was a weekend, the tired students had time to recuperate before having to return to classes. Harry was sitting on one of the ledges of the bay window near the Owlery, reading his book on herbs. Hermione and Ron had snuck off somewhere, doing god knows what. Harry escaped Seamus and Dean's game of exploding snaps, since he always seemed to lose. He was flipping the pages languidly, trying not to fall asleep against the window.

"If you're looking for pictures, you won't be finding any," Draco's slow drawl woke him up.

"Always condescending," Harry said, shaking his head.

"I see you've fared better than your Gryffindor buddies," Draco said, leaning on the wall in front of Harry.

"Told you I wasn't a lightweight," Harry sniffed at Draco.

"Ah, so you do remember," Draco said, smiling slightly.

"Like I said, I never forget, Malfoy," Harry said, turning back to his book.

"Yes, you did say that," Draco pondered.

"Where's your posse?" Harry asked, suddenly realizing that Crabbe or Goyle did not flank Draco.

"Gave them the day off to recoup," Draco said, lifting his eyebrows derisively.

"What a good slave driver," Harry mumbled.

Malfoy smirked at Harry's comment. "Well, they need someone to shape them, Potter. Imagine if they ever got out into the real world?"

"Ah, so you're doing the world a favor then…"

"You could say that. And every successful Slytherin needs minions."

Harry's mind flashed to Voldemort and his Death Eaters. His face must've expressed his thoughts because Draco suddenly pursed his lips together, looking uncomfortable.

"That's not what I meant, Potter," Draco said, horrified that Harry's mind even went there.

Harry nodded stiffly, refusing to look up at Draco.

Draco's temper got the better of him. "Damn it, Potter, I'm NOT my father," he hissed, slapping his hand on the wall. "So whatever you're thinking, just fucking stop. Right now."

Harry gawked at Draco's explosive remarks. _I know._ He found his voice. "I know you're not your father, Malfoy. If you were, you wouldn't be talking to me. If you were, I may not even be alive right now," Harry said slowly, leaning in to stare directly at Draco.

Draco's breath hitched as he watched Harry's solemn face. _Oh Merlin, Potter. You're going to be the death of me._ He leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Harry's lips. He lingered for a few moments, reveling in the sensation. When he pulled back, he noticed that Harry's eyes were closed.

"That didn't just happen, did it?" Harry asked uncertainly, his eyes still shut.

Draco mentally kicked himself. He didn't know what to say, what to do. He just stared dumbly at Harry until he finally opened his eyes.

"Malfoy, I can feel you…" Harry marveled, his eyes dazed. He could feel Draco's emotions rushing into him. He felt Draco's confusion, his anger, his lust, and his uncertainty. He could also feel it when Draco started shutting his mind down once again. "No, don't," Harry breathed as he stood up and moved closer, letting his book fall to the ground. Draco's mind flew open again, enveloping Harry. _So this is Draco Malfoy…_

"Potter, what're you doing?" Draco asked, feeling vulnerable when Harry placed his hand on Draco's chest.

"Draco, I can feel you," Harry said. He could also feel Draco's heart racing. Harry leaned in and kissed Draco softly for a fleeting moment. Draco tensed slightly before wrapping his arm around Harry's waist, pulling him in. Harry gasped when Draco pressed his lips onto Harry's again. Harry's hands cupped Malfoy's face delicately, feeling his soft cheek and defined chin. His mind was whirling with emotions, both his and Draco's.

One of Harry's hands moved from Draco's face to his neck while the other tangled itself into Draco's impeccable hair. Draco deepened his kisses, slowly pushing Harry into the wall. He felt Harry's breath in his mouth as he tentatively slid his tongue between Harry's lips. Harry parted his mouth after a moment of slight hesitation. Malfoy dipped his tongue into Harry, enjoying the warm and full taste. Harry groaned when he felt Draco's tongue in his mouth. He'd never been kissed with so much passion before.

Harry felt light headed and shaky when Draco finally stopped kissing him. They were breathing heavily and Draco was pressing Harry against him. Harry buried his head in Draco's shoulder, inhaling the faint smell of his cologne. "You smell nice," Harry said before he could stop himself. He felt Draco's shoulder shake as he laughed.

"And you sound drunk again," Draco said, smoothing down Harry's wild hair. Harry slowly pulled away from Draco, giving him a hesitant, heart-wrenching smile. Draco groaned as he lost his self-control again, leaning in to smother Harry with another long kiss.

Harry's eyes were sliding out of focus by the time Draco stopped. He leaned his forehead against Draco's, his eyes still closed. "Holy fuck, Malfoy, you are like a kissing god," he said breathlessly.

"So I've been told, Potter."

-x-

**A/N: **Finally, some action!


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

Blaise's eyes went wide with shock when he saw Draco's dreamy face as he walk into their dorm room. "Oh my FUCKING god! You went for it, didn't you? FUCK! HE KISSED YOU BACK, DIDN'T HE?"

"Say that a little louder, Blaise. I don't think the sixth floor heard you," Draco replied, his voice lacking in malice because he had a stupid grin plastered on his face.

"Draco, you lovesick bag of shit, I didn't think you had the guts. What's more, I didn't think _Potter_ had the guts!" Blaise said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Who could resist the charms of a Malfoy? I mean, really," Draco said smugly.

Blaise scoffed. "Yeah right, says you who has been chasing after the same guy for over three years now."

Draco glared momentarily before letting his eyes glaze over. Harry had been everything Draco thought he would be. _And more_. He was so soft and hesitant under Draco's lips. His deep green eyes were piercing with passion. His smile, _oh, his damned smile,_ Draco thought, sighing.

"Draco Malfoy, if you turn into one of Potter's obsessed fan girls, I'm going to kick your butt all the way to Alaska," Blaise said, watching Draco with astonishment.

"I think it's already too late, Blaise," Draco said as he leaned back in his bed, staring up at the canopy.

-x-

"You alright, Harry?" Parvati asked when Harry stumbled into the common room.

"I – um – yeah, of course, why wouldn't I be?" he said, flustered. He ran his hand through his hair, trying to fix it.

"You just look flushed and tired," she said, turning back to her homework.

Harry quickly walked up to his dorm room, straightening his tie and smoothing his jumper. Neville looked startled as Harry fell onto his bed, staring up at the canopy.

"Harry, are you okay?" he asked, concerned.

Harry flicked his eye over to Neville and smiled cheerfully. "Never better, Neville."

"Oh my gosh, Harry Potter! Tell me the truth, what did you do?" Neville asked quickly getting off his own bed and walking to Harry's. Harry could feel strong suspicion and interest in Neville's emotion.

Harry tried to rearrange his face into a picture of innocence. "Nothing, I swear!"

"I don't believe this! You… and Malfoy? When? _Why_?" Neville asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

Harry gaped at Neville before shooting up off his bed. "What? I don't even –"

"Look, I've noticed you guys staring at each other for the past seven years. I'm not that dense," Neville mumbled, sitting on Harry's bed.

"I can't believe – I mean, I didn't even know until ten minutes ago," Harry flushed at his admission. "I don't even think Ron knows!" he said, staring at Neville as if he was seeing him for the first time.

Harry groaned and fell back on his bed. "Fuck, what am I going to tell Ron?"

-x-

**A/N**: I know this is a very short chapter, but I really wanted the reactions to stand on their own.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

Monday at breakfast, Draco winked at Harry again from across the room. This time, Harry felt his face flush and his heart flutter. Harry watched Draco inconspicuously. Whenever Draco caught him, the Slytherin's face was insistent on morphing into a lazy smile.

"If you guys keep this up, it's only a matter of time before the whole school knows," Blaise mumbled, kicking Draco's shin from under the table. Draco's smile quickly turned into an irritated scowl as he turned to glare at Blaise.

"Harry. Harry!" Ron shook his friend out of his daydream.

"What?" Harry grumbled, reluctantly looking at Ron. Of course he didn't tell his best friend. Imagine the riots that would occur in the Gryffindor common room. Harry shuddered at the thought of a healthy punch that awaited him when Ron found out about his rendezvous with Draco.

"Did you actually forget about the Quidditch practice we have today?" Ron asked, shocked.

"What? Of course not!" Harry said indignantly.

"Good," Ron said, still looking suspiciously at Harry.

The rest of the day was passed in a haze. Harry went to all his classes and dutifully took his notes. But that didn't mean he learnt much. All he learnt was that Draco liked to check up on his hair before and after every class, had excellent penmanship, snuck in jelly slugs as snacks, and wrinkled his nose in disgust anytime a professor asked him a question.

_Thank goodness I have Quidditch tonight to get my mind off of Malfoy_, Harry thought as he slipped into his gear with his teammates. The air was frigid as winter was springing up on them. They would be able to squeeze in one last game before the ground was covered with snow. Their last game of the year was going to be against Slytherin.

Harry felt confident that his team could win the match. Gryffindor had better Chasers and Beaters than Slytherin. But when pitted against Draco, Harry was feeling less sure of what the result would be. Harry practiced hard with his team, knowing that the game would just be another healthy confrontation between him and Draco.

The players were frozen by the time practice was over. They eased his sore hands off their brooms and tried to reform their cold faces into less horrifying expressions. While his teammates raced to the hot showers, Harry and Ron were strategizing for the upcoming match.

"Really, Harry, there's nothing to talk about. All you'll need to do is catch the Snitch as quick as possible. Game over. Besides, their Keeper is a dumb nut; she only covers two of the three rings. Colin's a good enough Chaser to aim for that ring and score a few points for us. We'll need to watch out for Crabbe and Goyle. They may not be the sharpest knives in the kitchen. But as Beaters, I wouldn't take my chances being anywhere near them. You just watch Malfoy and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," Ron said, walking to the showers with his towel.

"Oh, I'll be watching Malfoy, alright," Harry muttered after he heard the shower turn on.

The rest of the week was spent in anticipation for the game. This was the match the entire school had been waiting for. Ever since Harry had started playing for the team, he had never let Slytherin win. _And I'll be damned if I let sentiments get in the way_, Harry smirked to himself.

After their encounter in the Owlery, Harry and Draco had been satisfied with the smiles and nods they gave each other when they passed in the hallways. Both were busy with practices and friends that week, but neither seemed to mind. They had trepidations on what would happen if they were caught, or even worse, what would happen if they weren't.

The morning of the Quidditch match, the sun was hidden under ominous clouds that were threatening to burst at a moment's notice. Harry sighed at the miserable, cold weather. He was glad that the Quidditch gear had been charmed to keep him and his teammates warm for a few hours.

"Okay. This is our last game of this year. I want all of you to focus and clear your mind of any and all doubt. Because I _know_ that we are going win. I _know_ that we are going to KICK SOME SLYTHERIN ASS!" Harry's team roared with him. They quickly grabbed their broomsticks and walked out into the pitch. The clamors of the spectators kept Harry on his toes. He could easily shut them out now, thanks to his lessons with Remus. Harry stared out into the Gryffindor bleachers, grinning wildly. The supporters were bundled up in warm red sweaters and scarves. Banners were flapping against the strong winds. They were cheering passionately when the Gryffindor team entered the field. Their cheers quickly turned into boos when the Slytherins sauntered in.

The team faced each other, staring coldly at their opponent. Harry looked straight into Draco's eyes, communicating to him that Harry was going to do anything and everything to stop Draco from getting the Snitch. Draco raised his eyebrow in contempt, accepting the silent challenge. Madame Hooch raised the whistle to her lips and shrilly blew to indicate the start of the game.

The players shot up into the sky as the Quaffle was thrown. The Bludgers were let out soon after and the Snitch was released at the end.

"Potter," Draco sneered as they slowed to a stop.

Harry glanced at Draco with indifference. "Malfoy," he said curtly.

Within fifteen minutes, Gryffindor was already up forty-five points as Creevey managed to get three goals past the Slytherin Keeper. Draco growled with frustration while scanning the skies for the Snitch. Harry groaned when Goyle managed to tag Ginny in the stomach with a Bludger. Vaisey sent a well-aimed Quaffle past Ron and into one of the rings, yielding catcalls from the Gryffindor stands. As another goal was scored against Gryffindor, Harry was desperately trying to spot the Snitch.

It took another thirty minutes before Harry caught the gold glinting at the north end of the field. The score was at a hundred for Gryffindor and eighty for Slytherin. Harry needed to catch the Snitch before the score neared hundred and fifty, so he started to fly towards the Snitch nonchalantly, hoping that Draco wouldn't notice it.

"Not so fast, Potter," Draco muttered before shooting off after the Snitch.

"Damn," Harry cursed before quickly catching up to Draco. They were going neck-and-neck, trying to veer each other off course. The feel on Draco's leg against his caused Harry to shiver with excitement. Draco smiled slightly as he bent lower on his broom, sending it flying a little faster. Harry did the same, each drawing closer and closer to the Snitch. Harry could vaguely feel the excitement that was being emitted by the crowd below. He reached out his right hand, mimicking Draco's reach. With one last burst of energy, both Seekers latched onto the wings of the Snitch – Harry got the right and Draco caught the left. They stared at each other for a moment before tugging the Snitch away from each other.

"Let go, Malfoy!" Harry said through his teeth. He was pulling with such fervor that he was amazed the wing didn't break off.

"Not before you do, Potter!" Draco spat out.

Harry sent a well-placed kick to Draco's shin, eliciting a yelp. Draco pushed Harry with his free hand, causing Harry to wobble on his Firebolt. Furious, Harry punched Draco in the stomach with his left hand, leaving Draco winded. Draco threw a punch at Harry, connecting his knuckles to Harry's jaw. Bright stars lit up in front of Harry's eyes, causing him to lose his grip on the Snitch. With one last tug, Draco laughed with delight as the Snitch ended up in his hand. He was too busy marveling at the feel of the Snitch in his palm that he didn't notice when Harry furiously pulled back his arm and hit Draco's nose.

"Fuck, Potter!" Draco yelled, dropping the Snitch and clutching his bloody nose. He reached for his wand and pulled it out, blinking away the tears in his eyes. "That fucking hurt, you piece of shit," he shouted murderously.

"And I think you broke my jaw, you scumbag," Harry yelled back at him, holding his face and pulling out his own wand.

Before they could hex each other to next week, they were pulled away by their teammates. Ron grabbed Harry's broom and dragged him away from Draco. Theo snatched Draco's robes and jerked him away from Harry.

Harry and Draco were shouting profanities at each other as their friends pulled them to the grassy pitch. Once they caught sight of Madame Hooch's deadly face however, they instantly fell silent, still glowering at each other.

"Gryffindor wins with two hundred and fifty points while Slytherin earns two hundred and thirty," she said using her magically enhanced voice. The pitch was silent for a moment before cheers and protests started ringing. Draco's mouth flew open to contest the result, but he clamped it shut when he saw that Madame Hooch's face was far from pleased with him.

"And regarding you two," she said in her regular, low tone. "I am very disappointed with the unsportsmanlike conduct you exhibited. Your heads of houses will be dealing with you." She walked away, leaving the two teams to glare furiously at each other.

Harry groaned as he felt the pain gripping his face. He felt his mind losing its hold on his Occlumency. He calmed himself down, clearing his mind. He glared one last time at Draco before walking back to the change rooms, followed by his cheering teammates.

"Fuck this," Theo said to Draco, placing a hand on his shoulder. Draco shrugged it off, his eyes still watering from the pain in his nose. He scowled at the back of Harry's head before walking off to his change room.

"Harry, that was bloody brilliant!" Ginny grinned when they were finally settled in the change room. Harry smiled weakly through his throbbing jaw.

"How bad is it?" he asked Ginny, showing her his mouth.

Ginny's eyes went wide before she shrugged, "Nothing that can't be fixed. It's already all black and blue, ugh!"

"Harry, we won!" Ron's excited thumps on Harry's back jolted his aching face.

"Stop, Ron. This fucking hurts, no joke," Harry replied, flinching away from his best friend's enthusiasm.

"Oh, yeah. You should probably run up to the hospital wing before joining the PARTY IN THE COMMON ROOM!" he cheered.

Harry eventually made it to Madame Pomfrey without fainting from pain. She clucked with disapproval before setting his jaw straight and decreasing the bruising. She gave him a potion for the headache and the pain, which helped Harry calm down.

"Thanks, Madame Pomfrey," he said, sighing with relief.

"You're welcome, Mr. Potter," she said before walking off to attend to a Ravenclaw's stomachaches.

Harry was walking out of the hospital wing, touching his jaw lightly with his fingers when he felt two hands grab him roughly from the back. He was turned around with vivacious speed and pushed against the wall.

"Potter, if you had left even the slightest dent in my nose, I was planning on cursing the hell out of you," Draco's lethal voice caused Harry's eyes to widen. He quickly regained his composure and tried to push Draco away.

"Looks like I didn't leave a dent in your snooty nose, so let go of me," he snarled, staring at Draco's flushed face.

"No," Draco growled before bruising Harry's lips with his own. Harry's jaw ached slightly at the pressure and he felt Draco's anger and passion licking at him. He squeaked his protest, trying to untangle Draco's hand from his hair. He contemplated on kicking Draco in the shins again, but that thought was interrupted when Draco pulled his lips away and used them to attack Harry's neck.

"Malfoy – " Harry's breath caught in his throat when Draco ran light fingers across Harry's collarbone. "S – Stop," he pleaded, as Draco's other hand pulled at Harry's robes.

"No," Draco said forcefully, again. He pushed himself against Harry's body, restraining him against the wall.

Harry couldn't stop his hands as it started to move to Draco's waist and around his back. Draco bit into Harry's neck, causing him to groan in pain and ecstasy. His mind was reeling with emotion. He wanted more. _Or was it Malfoy who wanted more?_ Harry clutched Malfoy's robes, pulling him closer. Draco's passion was arousing Harry.

That's when realization kicked in and Harry's mind told him to slow down. He gently extracted his hands from Draco's waist and waited for Malfoy to stop nipping his neck. When Draco felt Harry pulling away, he moved closer, refusing to let go. Harry stood patiently as Draco slowed his ravishing kisses and looked questioningly at Harry.

"What?" Draco asked, blinking at Harry's passive face.

"You. You're filling my head with nonsense," Harry smiled, cupping his hands around Draco's flushed face.

Draco frowned with confusion before leaning in to crush his lips against Harry's again. Harry turned his head slightly, so Draco's lips landed on his cheek.

"I don't – " Draco started saying, his frown deepening. Harry reached up and lightly kissed Draco's lips before pushing him away.

Draco stood in amazement, staring at the wall where Harry had been pushed against a moment ago. He shook himself out of his daze before following Harry. He caught Harry's hand and turned him around slowly.

"Harry, what do you mean?" Draco asked softly, searching Harry's face.

Harry slipped his fingers between Draco's clutching it tightly. _He looks so vulnerable. I've never seen him so exposed_. Harry smiled reassuringly at Draco. "I mean that whenever you are near me, I can feel you. You fill my head with your passion, Draco. I don't think I'm ready for that… yet."

Draco stared at Harry's concerned face. _Potter, you're killing me with those eyes._ He sighed. "Well, I guess I'll have no choice but to wait," Draco said, pulling Harry's chin up and kissing his lips calmly. Harry's heart raced slightly at the simplicity of what Draco had just said.

"But I still can't believe you punched me in the nose. That fucking sucked," Draco said quietly.

"Wait, you hit me in the jaw first!"

"Only because you socked me in the stomach!"

"Whatever, Malfoy… You're just pissed at me for winning."

"Unbelievable!"

-x-


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

**A/N:** Oh snap! I just realized that Harry has black hair. God, I'm such an awful fan girl! Damn, he looks so gorgeous as a brunette though. You wouldn't mind if I let him stay a brunette, would you?

-x-

"I want to show you something," Harry said to Draco, pulling him up the stairs. Draco followed silently, feeling Harry's warm hand pressing against his. They walked up several flights of stairs before reaching the seventh floor. Harry led Draco to the entry of the Room of Requirements.

"We can meet here. This is the Room of Requirements. All you need to do is think about what you want the room to be and walk by three times. Here, I'll show you," Harry said, reluctantly letting go of Draco's hand.

The second he finished his third repetition, a large door appeared on the wall, partly hidden by the tapestry. Draco smiled in amazement and hesitantly lifted away the wall hanging, touching the door handle briefly. He looked at Harry quizzically. Harry nodded and Draco turned the knob, opening the door slowly. He felt a cool breeze on his warm face, enticing him into the room. He grabbed Harry's hand and walked in.

Draco was dumbstruck at the inviting room before his eyes. The room was bathed with sunlight even though it was nighttime. Couches were situated strategically around the large windows. The floor was covered with soft scarlet carpet. A table stood in a corner, and on it were several different delectable foods. Draco eyed the large bed that was placed against on wall curiously and looked at Harry. Harry shrugged and flushed. "Well, I did say not _yet_," he mumbled, staring at his feet. Draco laughed at Harry's embarrassment before pulling him in for another kiss. "I'm going to keep that in mind, Potter," he said quietly, sending shivers down Harry's spine. Draco held him for a brief moment before turning his eyes at the food.

"You thought of everything, didn't you?" he asked, moving quickly towards the table.

"I'm only human," Harry said, looking over all the different types of chocolates that were present. He grabbed a couple of chocolate frogs and walked over to the couches. Draco made some hot chocolate in two mugs and handed one to Harry. They kicked off their shoes and shrugged off their robes. They settled down on either side of the couch, facing each other, their feet pulled up. Harry smiled contently as he watched Draco taking slow sips of his drink. He looked marvelous against the sun, his pale face tinged with pink, his white tee spotless and crisp, which was paired against some black slacks. Draco's strong arm clutched his long legs close to his chest while the other held the mug precariously. His face rested on his knees, the grey eyes staring lazily at Harry.

"Like what you see, Potter?" he asked, smothering Harry with lust.

Harry blushed and quickly averted his eyes to his chocolate frogs. He tossed one to Draco, who caught is easily with his long slender fingers. "My weakness – chocolate," Harry said, biting into the head of the wriggling frog.

"Ah, so Potter does have a weakness," Draco said before popping the entire frog in his mouth.

Harry scoffed at his comment. "Many," he said.

"Okay, name some."

"Besides chocolate, I'm a sucker for Butterbeer, Quidditch, photographs, friends… You."

"Oh."

Harry felt his heart float up after he'd admitted as much to Draco. He grinned when he heard Draco's surprised response.

"What about you, Malfoy?"

"Malfoys know no weakness, Potter," Draco said, tilting his head slightly.

"Cop out," Harry said, shrugging.

They stared at each other for a little while longer, taking long drags from their lukewarm chocolate drink. Draco set his mug down on the floor and folded his legs under him. He sat on his knees and laid his arm on the back of the sofa, letting his head fall on his bent arm. Harry had to look up slightly to keep Draco's face in view.

Harry's innocent eyes captivated Draco. _He's seen so much, how does he stay so happy?_ Draco dropped his eyes from Harry's emerald ones to his soft lips. It was upturned because Harry was smiling slightly at Draco's inspection. Draco resisted the urge to trace the lips by clenching his hand. Harry's perpetually messy hair covered the famous scar. Harry looked effortlessly handsome, wearing a soft, red jumper and jeans. Draco sighed at the thought of Harry's hidden body before returning his eyes to Harry's wide ones.

"What?" Draco asked indignantly.

"You keep forgetting that I can feel your emotions," Harry said hoarsely.

"Oh, that," Draco said, winking.

"Yeah, that," Harry said, staring accusingly at Draco. "And it seems I have found your weakness, Malfoy."

"Oh?" Draco said, lifting his head off his hand, eyeing Harry with trepidation. "And what's that?"

"This," Harry said, leaning up and kissing Draco with passion. Draco sat rooted on the spot as Harry ran his hand through the blond hair, forcing out a moan. Harry pushed himself onto Draco, causing him to collapse onto his back. Draco leaned into Harry's kiss, taking everything he could get. Harry pulled away as quickly as he had started, blushing fiercely.

"Sorry, but that was your fault," Harry said, slowly letting go of Draco's hair and sitting up. Draco held onto Harry's jumper, his eyes glinting.

"It always is," he said, pulling Harry back down for another kiss. "And you're right, I guess you did find my weakness…"

-x-

"Merlin, Potter, do you ever quit?" Draco asked, groaning.

Harry and Draco were lying on their stomachs on the carpeted floor, playing poker. Since Harry refused to play with money, they resorted to gambling with sweets. Harry was losing spectacularly, which was evident since Draco's pile of sweets were scattered all around him while Harry could hold all of his 'winnings' in the palm of his hand.

"I _never _quit, Malfoy," Harry said strongly.

"But I'm cleaning you out. It's not even remotely enjoyable anymore," Draco whined, flipping onto his back, staring at Harry's upside down face.

"I'm not going to stop you if you want to quit, Malfoy," Harry said haughtily, looking down at Draco.

Draco made an impatient noise before throwing down his cards. "Fine then. I _quit_."

"Pity. Here I was thinking Malfoys never quit," Harry said, popping a gumdrop into his mouth, staring languidly at Draco.

"Potter, you are so _frustrating_," Draco said, closing his eyes.

"I know," Harry smiled and placed a sweet kiss on Draco's upturned nose. Draco wrinkled his nose against Harry's sugary breath.

"Stop turning all mushy on me," Draco grumbled.

"Hmm," Harry replied, getting up off the floor. "We should get going, we've been here for over two hours," Harry said, slipping on his shoes and grabbing his robe.

"Oh, I don't want to go. It's going to be so miserable in the common room. I can just hear Pansy's grating voice drilling into my skull. That girl won't take a hint! Then Blaise will be staring at me, wiggling his damned eyebrows. He's so pleased with himself because he was right. Then I'll have to babysit stupid Goyle –" Draco griped, as he laced up his shoes.

Harry froze when he heard this. "Wait, Blaise – he knows?" Harry squeaked.

"Hell, he knew before I even did," Draco said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh… Er – Neville… He kinda knows too," Harry said timidly.

Draco straightened up in a second, his mouth hanging open. "Wh – Did you – I mean – _How_?"

"Like Blaise, I guess. He knew before I even did," Harry echoed helplessly.

"I can't believe fucking Longbottom knows!" Draco said, shaking his head in disbelief.

They stared at each other for a moment before bursting out into laughter. "Malfoy, how are we going to keep this up? It'll only be a matter of weeks before everyone finds out," Harry said through his laughter.

"And what a fucking awesome couple of weeks it's going to be," Draco said, sweeping Harry into a mind numbing kiss.

"mph – language, Malfoy," Harry chided before kissing Draco back.

-x-


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

**A/N: **Sorry if you think the story's being stretched out for far too long. It'll start to move forward in the next couple of chapters!

-x-

They were wrong. They lasted two months – until a little before New Year.

Harry and Draco would meet at the Room of Requirements every other day for an hour. They talked, joked, studied, and snogged. The two were tempted to go further, but neither was willing to take the first step. No one suspected them. Well, maybe people did suspect something, but no one put two and two together. They'd noticed that whenever Harry and Draco argued in public, it lacked the prior malice and anger. It seemed more of a squabble than a fight to the spectators. This change was shrugged off as 'oh, they finally grew up. Thank goodness.'

The Gryffindors just thought that Harry needed his alone time every once in a while, so they never questioned his frequent disappearances. The Slytherins shut up after Draco told them to 'mind their own fucking business' the first – and conveniently the last – time they questioned his disappearances.

Harry was nestled in between Draco's knees, his head propped up on Draco's slender chest. They were sitting on the bed and Draco was playing with Harry's fingers. They had a couple of days before they'd have to leave Hogwarts for Christmas. Harry was going to stay at the Burrow and Draco was going home. They were enjoying as much time as they could together, since they wouldn't be seeing each other for another two weeks.

"You know, Voldemort is coming back," Harry said softly. Draco stopped his hands for a split second before resuming.

"Potter, you sure know how to get a guy in the mood," he said tersely.

"I wanted to let you know. He's building an army. He's going to attack Hogwarts. Because of – me," Harry gulped down his fear. Harry hadn't admitted anything this personal to Draco before.

Draco let go of Harry's fingers and hugged him tightly. Harry could feel Draco's heart beating fast against Harry's shoulder. They lay there in silence for a few minutes, feeling each other's hearts.

"You know something? I still haven't seen your wings," Draco said, looking down at Harry.

Harry pulled a face before pushing off of Draco. He turned around and faced Draco's interested face. Harry frowned, contemplating the implications of showing Draco his wings. _Well, either he'll run away, screaming like a little girl, or he'll – what would he do?_ Harry's doubtful face must've tipped Draco off because he pulled himself up off the headboard and took Harry's face in his hands.

"I won't run, I promise," Draco said, kissing Harry's forehead. Harry's stomach ached with pleasure.

"Oh, alright. It hardly seems fair anyways. Considering how everyone else has seen it and you haven't," Harry said, taking off his shirt.

Draco gasped silently at Harry's toned body. He tried to shut his mind before Harry felt his hunger. He knew Harry was trying to stop from feeling Draco's arousal too. _Fuck, I can't believe you were hiding that from me for this long!_ Draco took a ragged breath while he watched Harry's chest moved.

"Draco, you are not helping," Harry said, clenching his mouth shut.

"Damn it, I know. I also know that you should be taking your shirt off more often! Just do the world a favor!" Draco said, his eyes smoldering.

Harry groaned at Draco's voice and tried to calm his mind. He lightly touched his scar with his fingers, feeling the power flowing through him and out of his shoulders. He kept his eyes on Draco's face, watching his every movement, feeling his every sentiment. Harry felt the wings unfurling and spreading out before gently nestling against Harry's back.

Draco forgot to breathe when he saw the wings emerging from Harry's back. The feathers were immaculate, not a single one out of place. The gold and silver caught the sun, shining bright reflections on the wall. Against Harry's hardened body, the wings looked heavenly. The light from the windows cast a slight glow around Harry. Draco let out a strangled moan as he felt his mind slipping out of his grasp.

Harry felt the rush of pent up emotions escaping Draco. He felt Draco's emotions changing from confusion, to denial, to envy, to appreciation, to hope, to lust, and – finally – to love. Harry gasped when he felt Draco's love flooding into his body. His heart leapt with joy when he finally understood what Draco was feeling.

"Draco," Harry breathed, reaching forward and pushing him onto the bed. Harry fell onto Draco, kissing him long and hard, feeling the need rise from both of them. He ran his hand through Draco's soft hair, pushing his tongue into Draco's inviting mouth.

"Mph – Harry… your magic," Draco gasped against Harry's mouth. He pushed his hands into Harry's thick hair and clutched it tight. _How are you doing this?_ Malfoy felt himself getting aroused. Harry was running his hands down Draco's chest, feeling for the hem of his shirt. He bit into Draco's lower lip before moving his mouth to Draco's neck. Draco hardly noticed the pain because at that moment, Harry's hot hands were moving against his trembling stomach. "Harry," Draco breathed, letting go of Harry's hair and clutching on the bed sheets.

Harry's mind was fogged with enough emotions to fuel two people. He couldn't stop his body from reacting. His hands were moving one step faster than his mind could comprehend. Harry wrenched up Draco's shirt. Draco pulled it off of his arms and away from his head, sensing a primal need to feel Harry's skin against his. He wrapped his arms around Harry, gasping as his hands rested on Harry's soft wings. Harry was kissing Draco's stomach, his hips, his chest, his neck, his arms. It seemed like Harry was doing all of this at the same time, causing Draco to shudder with every contact. Harry finally moved up to Draco's chin, his cheeks, his forehead, his closed eyes, his nose, and finally to his lips. This time Harry kissed softly, with all the love he could give.

Draco had never felt this powerless. All he could do was hold on. When Harry reached for Draco's belt, he couldn't do anything but watch. He hissed with pleasure as he felt Harry delicately removing both his khakis and boxers. Harry's head was now starting to fill with want and trust. He moaned into Draco's lips, kissing him soundly. He wrapped his fingers around Draco's hard arousal while nibbling on his neck. Draco took a sharp intake of breath when Harry brushed his fingers over his tip.

Harry started pumping him slowly, drawing up his fingers and pushing them down with intensity. Draco's eyes were clenched shut as he tried to prolong the moment. Harry felt Draco's hands moving against his wings, clutching the feathers tightly whenever Harry rubbed his fingers over Draco's foreskin. Draco had never been this far off the edge before, and he loved the sensation of not knowing what would happen next. He gritted his teeth when he felt Harry sucking his nipples gently. His stomach was flipping with arousal and passion. He moved his hands from Harry's wings to his hair, holding Harry against his chest.

Harry smiled while continuing to kiss Draco's sensitive chest. He was now pumping Draco with powerful motions. He felt Draco's moans reverberating from his chest. Harry had never felt so satisfied before. Being right there with Draco, with no care in the world – Harry thought he'd died and gone to heaven.

Draco moaned Harry's name in ecstasy as he felt his body reacting to the first waves of his climax. He dragged Harry's mouth into his and shouted into the warm, soft lips. His hips bucked against Harry's stilled hand. He could feel Harry's magic flowing through him, like electricity. He felt the hair on his neck stand up as his body convulsed with bliss.

Harry felt Draco pushing against him, panting and groaning as the aftermath of his climax coursed through his body. Harry protectively wrapped his wings around the bed and kissed Draco in the dark. Draco's heart was erratic, pulsing against Harry's. Draco slowly started to regain control over his limbs, and when he did, he placed his hand on Harry's neck and pulled him in for a breathless kiss. When Draco opened his eyes, he was sheltered in a cocoon of feathers. He turned his head to the side and ran his fingers gently along one of the wings. He was smiling gloriously when he finally looked up into Harry's eyes.

"My angel…"

Harry gazed into Draco's dazed face, watching his eyes close with exhaustion. Harry pressed himself against Draco's body, letting his head rest on Draco's chest.

"I love you too," Harry said quietly, smiling.

-x-

Draco had fallen asleep within minutes. Harry laid there for an hour, reveling in the warmth of Draco's body. He knew he had to leave soon, or else he'd have to answer Ron's ridiculously detailed questions. Harry reluctantly lifted himself away from Draco, pressing a soft kiss on his cheek before collecting his thoughts and folding his wings into his body. He felt the magic drain away from him, leaving him exhausted. He lifted the covers off the bed and draped Draco with the warm sheets. He sat on the bed for a while, watching Draco's ghost of a smile.

With a soft sigh, Harry put on his shirt and padded across the room to fetch his shoes.

"Hi," Draco's sleepy drawl caught Harry's ears. Harry looked up to see Draco laying on his side, leaning his head against his arm, staring intently.

"Hi," Harry said, blushing. He quickly slipped on his shoes and pulled his school robe over his shirt. He sat back on the edge of the bed, holding Draco's fingers lightly for a minute. With another sigh, he got up and straightened his hair. He walked over to the door, looking back at Draco's precious face.

"I'll see you in a couple of weeks, Draco," Harry said before slipping out the door.

Draco fell back on his bed, his face flushed with giddiness. "I can't wait, Harry," he replied into the empty room.

-x-

Ron and Hermione were excitedly talking about Christmas as the Hogwarts Express jostled along the countryside. Harry was smiling out the window, watching the snowy hills roll by. The enthusiasm on the train was very contagious. Christmas was, after all, the best time of the year. Harry was glad that he'd been invited to stay over at the Weasley's for yet another holiday. Hermione was asked ask well, so Ron was busy making all kinds of plans for the two weeks they would have together. After a few hours in the cramped compartment, Harry left his friends to stretch out his legs in the corridors. He reached the end of his carriage and leaned against the window, feeling the cool draft freshening his senses.

"Hey," Draco muttered, nudging Harry's arm. Harry jumped at the sudden intrusion, but was quickly swept up in a long kiss. He smiled into Draco's lips before gently extracting himself from Draco's arms.

"Malfoy, two weeks isn't _that_ long," he said, chuckling at Draco's hungry eyes.

Draco pouted. "It is for me, Potter," he grumbled, stepping away from Harry. Harry contemplated Draco's words.

"Well, how about we write to each other? Every day, if you want," Harry said.

Draco's eyes brightened at this plan. He nodded enthusiastically.

"Good," Harry said, giving Draco a hug before walking back to his compartment. He winked over his shoulder before closing the door.

Draco groaned in frustration and leaned against the window. _Two weeks isn't _that_ long_, he thought, trying to convince himself.

-x-


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

The Burrow was a madhouse, as always. Squeezing an entire family into a house had its own issues, but squeezing the different personalities under one roof could only lead to one result – chaos. Fred and George had pulled so many pranks within the span of two days that everyone had to watch where their feet landed and what their hands touched. Charlie and Bill were always seen wrestling each other to the ground. Percy would be watching the brothers with disapproval. Ron and Hermione kept sneaking off to do the unmentionable. _Thank goodness for Ginny_, Harry thought. She was Harry's company for the holidays. Harry was glad that Ginny had gotten over her fan girl crush and started to talk to Harry like he was a real person. He could talk to her about Quidditch, school, and even charms and spells that Harry knew weren't all that educational but still had hilarious and often unnecessarily embarrassing results.

He also received frequent visits from unknown owls. Ron and Hermione were perturbed that Harry received so many letters. He shrugged it off by vaguely mentioning that they were from his fans, wishing him a happy Christmas. When everyone went to sleep at night, Harry would eagerly open the letters and read it against his wand light. Draco had a way with words, and Harry had had to catch himself from bursting out laughing more than once as he read the letters. He couldn't write as often as Draco because he was almost never alone, but he knew that Draco understood. _'Of course you won't have a moment of peace, that house is overrun with Weasels. It's like they multiply every year!'_ Harry could imagine Draco saying.

The eve of Christmas was spent with lots of drinks and even more food. Mrs. Weasley's cooking was to die for, as always. Harry had more than his share of chicken and casseroles. He was lounging lazily on the couch, watching the clamor around him. At the Weasley residence, every waking moment was something different. Fred and George were turning the Christmas decorations into miniature squeaking trolls; the trolls were none too happy to find themselves hanging on a tree. Ron and Hermione were sneaking drunken kisses past Mrs. Weasley. Charlie, Bill, and Ginny were talking about their many adventures from the past three months. Percy and Mr. Weasley were busily discussing Ministry issues.

"Here, Harry, have some chocolate milk," Mrs. Weasley said, handing him a very large cup of steaming milk covered with colorful marshmallows.

Harry smiled happily at Mrs. Weasley. She was such a mother. She knew what he liked and disliked, to a tee. "Thanks, Mrs. Weasley," he said and gently sipped on the warm chocolate. He could see that the family was not planning on sleeping that night. It was already past two, and the loud chatter hadn't died down yet. _I suppose I could catch some sleep after I open my presents._ Harry had been trying to peek at his pile, hoping that he could catch a glimpse of Draco's gift. He hadn't been able to all week, and now his mind was filled with anticipation. _I hope he likes what I got him_, Harry thought. Harry had found a beautiful diary on one of his visits to Hogsmeade. The cover was velvety and green, Draco's favorite color. The edges of the papers were lined with beautiful, slender snakes. They moved every time the pages were flipped. It was pure and elegant. _It was made for Draco_.

Within the next four hours, the entire family was thoroughly exhausted but refused to fall asleep before opening their presents. Harry sat giddily as his pile of presents was floated over to his feet. Soon the room was filled with shredded wrapping paper and strewn ribbon. Harry received a sweater from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, which he immediately wore. He got a bag of jokes and pranks from the Weasley twins, which he didn't dare open, lest it burst sparkles into Harry's face. From Ron, he received a pack of Quidditch cards, collector's edition. Hermione gave him a book on different methods to heal a person, which Harry cherished. Percy, Bill, and Charlie gave him Seeker gloves. Ginny gave him a box of assorted chocolates. Remus had gifted him a small pensive. But the best present of all, he kept for last. Everyone was looking at Harry expectantly, wondering whom the last present was from.

The tag read, "To Harry Potter, From a Not-So-Secret Admirer." The entire gathering ooh-ed at this, causing Harry to blush slightly. It was wrapped in classic Slytherin green paper and tied simply with a bow. Harry delicately undid the ribbon and opened the wrapping paper.

Inside the box, nestled in tissue, was a small ruby gemstone. It was attached to an almost invisible silver chain; Harry assumed it was to be worn as a necklace. He lifted the ruby by the chain and delicately touched it. Suddenly he felt the rush of wild magic flowing through him and into the stone. He quickly let go of the gem, letting it hang from the chain. The ruby was glowing red.

"Harry… That's amazing!" Hermione said quietly. "This way you can always stow away your excess magic into the stone instead of carrying it in with you! This is an awfully expensive gift, who do you suppose it's from?" Hermione flipped over the card, looking for any clues.

Harry hesitantly touched the stone again, this time ready for the heady rush of magic he was going to feel. The stone glowed brighter and brighter as Harry pushed more magic into it. After a few minutes, Harry let go of the stone, feeling lighter and less burdened. He laughed brightly at the feeling before pulling the pendant over his head. It stayed hidden under his shirt, resting near his heart. The room was silent for a few moments as everyone stared at Harry's happy face.

"Well, now that that's done, everybody off to bed. Ginny, you are asleep on your feet! Fred, George, don't you dare poke those poor trolls. Ron and Hermione, if you don't get your hands off of each other, I'll –" Mrs. Weasley started to usher everyone upstairs and into bed.

Harry stumbled into his room, thoroughly wiped out. He fell asleep clutching the necklace to his chest, smiling softly.

-x-

Harry was starting to worry by the time New Year's Eve approached. Draco's letters had stopped abruptly after Christmas Day. Harry had assumed at the beginning that Draco had been busy with his own family gatherings and lavish parties. But after three days of not receiving any letters, Harry had started to spend his time staring out the window, willing an owl to fly up to it. He tried to go about his day, smiling cheerfully for the Weasleys, but by nighttime, he'd be tired of his act. He wouldn't be able to sleep until the break of dawn. He had sent Hedwig over to the Malfoy Manor twice, but the snowy owl had always returned with the undelivered message.

On New Year's Eve, Harry was sitting glumly in his room, staring at the fog his breath was making against he window. He idly toyed with his pendant, wishing Draco would just hurry up and write back.

That's when he heard the commotion at the front door. At first, he just heard loud banging, someone knocking to get inside the house. Harry was startled, but thought nothing of it. Then he heard Ron's terrified shouts and racing feet. Harry perked his ears curiously. He made his way out of his room and down the many stairs to the main foyer. His heart stopped when he saw the sight.

Draco was standing at the doorstep, shivering dreadfully. The Weasley children all had their wands out, ready to hex him if he made the wrong move. Mrs. Weasley was trying to get her children to calm down while Mr. Weasley and Hermione were staring helplessly at the crowd. Draco's wild eyes roved over the family before resting on Harry's. Harry let his mind reach out to Draco's quickly.

"Oh," he gasped as he felt a torrent of fear and sadness fill him. Harry stumbled down the rest of the stairs and ran up to Draco. He ignored the shouts of protest coming from his friends. He gently touched Draco's shoulders, forcing him to look at Harry.

"I – I swear, I didn't want to," Draco's voice cracked as tears fell from his eyes. Harry's eyes welled up when he felt Draco's shame. Harry gently lifted up Draco's sleeve and inhaled sharply when he saw the Dark Mark etched into Draco's pale skin. "I'm so sorry," Draco whispered, before fainting into Harry's arms.

-x-


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

Harry caught Draco and gently lowered him to the ground. The Weasley household was silent as realization struck that there was a Death Eater in the house. Unfortunately, they hadn't had to think of what to do if there was an unconscious one on their floor until now. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked at each other with terror in the their eyes. They needed to report this to the ministry.

Harry was still on the floor, kneeling beside Draco. He was stunned at what had been done to the Slytherin. He could sense the fear spreading within the house. Harry looked up at Hermione with pleading eyes. _Don't send him away._

Hermione edged towards Draco, hesitant about approaching one of Voldemort's subordinates. She saw the pain in Harry's eyes and knew from what had happened earlier that Draco had been an unwilling subject of the Dark Arts. She looked at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who were now huddled together, talking in low voices. She cleared her suddenly parched throat.

"I don't think Malfoy should be sent away…" she said slowly. The family looked up at her in surprise.

Ron seemed furious. "Hermione, he's a Death Eater, for crying out loud!"

"Not by choice. He knew where Harry was but didn't do anything about it. This place could be swarming with Death Eaters by now. Obviously he was forced into it. He's asking for asylum. We shouldn't contact the Ministry; we need to talk to Professor Dumbledore. Malfoy is still a student at Hogwarts," Hermione was talking rapidly, trying to reason with the adults.

"Whether he was willingly or unwillingly made a Death Eater, he is still one of _them_," Ron spat out. Fred and George nodded in agreement.

"He's trying to defect. Like Snape did," Ginny's quiet voice interrupted.

"But, he's only a child. He can't possibly stop from following You-Know-Who's orders. The Dark Mark ensures that You-Know-Who's followers stay loyal," Bill said.

Tears were threatening its way out of Harry's eyes. He felt himself losing his grip on his residual wild magic. He felt a strong push in his mind as the magic flowed through him. _I need to help him_, he thought desperately. He tried to force the magic to flow out of him and into Draco. He tried to will the Dark Magic out of the unconscious boy. He could feel his power entering Draco, but was immediately stopped before he could heal. Harry frowned and tried again, pushing harder with his magic, trying to overcome the barrier that was stopping his power from reaching Draco. This time, the barrier pushed back, causing Harry to flinch as pain erupted in his wrist.

"I can't – something's blocking me," he gasped at Hermione, clutching his arm.

"What?" Hermione asked, crouching beside Harry, holding him up.

"I can't help him. Something's blocking my magic," he said quietly, tears running down his face. "I'm supposed to protect, aren't I? Why couldn't I protect him from _this_? Why can't I heal him_ now_?"

"Harry, you didn't know this was going to happen! Don't blame yourself!" Hermione said while pulling Harry into a hug, astonished at Harry's grief.

Harry wiped away his tears and nodded faintly before looking up at the quarrelling family. He cleared his throat, trying to dislodge the lump of sadness. "I agree with Hermione. I think we should contact Dumbledore first. He will know what to do."

Ron gaped at Harry. "But – But Harry, this is _Draco Malfoy_," he said, as though that was reason enough to report him to the Ministry.

"I know, Ron," Harry said vehemently. "But right now, it doesn't matter. He doesn't want to join Voldemort, and if he's asking for my help in this matter, I'm not going to let any of you stop me."

Harry's furious statement rung in the silent hallway. Arthur looked at Molly for a moment before sighing and nodding slowly. "Very well, I will send an owl right away to Albus, letting him know that Malfoy's safe in our house. Then, should he advice it, I will report Malfoy to the Ministry. Otherwise… Well, I'm sure Albus will know what to do," he said, strolling down the hall to his office.

Harry slumped with relief. _You're safe now…_

-x-

Draco was dreaming. Harry could feel all of Draco's emotions while he dreamt. Most of the feelings were dark. Harry felt pain, anguish, shame, and self-loathing as Draco tossed on the couch. He was running a fever, probably from the stress and the cold. Harry wasn't sure how Draco got to the Burrow, since Apparating to the door was impossible. He suspected that Draco had walked down in the snow after Apparating to the top of the hill.

The Weasley household was tense as everyone worked around Draco. He'd been sleeping for over four hours now. Harry wished he could do something to ease Draco's worries. He wondered if Draco knew that he was dreaming. Whenever Harry dreamt, he didn't know until the waking moment that he was trapped in a nightmare.

Harry was pacing in front of the couch, frequently glancing at Draco whenever he moaned or shouted. Mrs. Malfoy would cast healing charms on him every hour, trying to get rid of the fever and the chills.

Finally, around noon, Draco's fever broke. He was stilled as his dreams became less frequent. Harry was perched on the armrest by Draco's feet when he heard his name being called. He felt a final bout of fear rise in him through Draco and knew he needed to wake Draco up right away. He knelt on the floor beside the couch and gently touched Draco's hand.

"Hey, wake up. It's just a dream," he said quietly. But the fear and agony was continuing to build up in Draco. Harry firmly squeezed Draco's hand, wrapping his fingers around Draco's, trying to anchor him down. "Draco, it's Harry. I want you to wake up now, okay?" he said.

Draco mumbled in his sleep as recognition caught his ear. He was trying to escape the hordes of Death Eaters that were relentlessly chasing him from corridor to corridor in Hogwarts. He knew Voldemort would finally appear in one of the rooms, but he didn't know when and he didn't know what would happen if he was caught. He just knew that he needed to get away. He kept hearing Harry's voice calling out to him. He ran towards it, knowing that he would finally be safe if he could get to the seventh floor. His chest was aching as he climbed up the stairs and slid down the corridor. He ran as fast as he could towards the large doors partly hidden by the tapestry. But before he could reach it, Voldemort appeared on the other side of the hallway. His wand was raised, and with a sneer, he cast a curse on Draco. At that moment, the door opened and Harry stepped out, easily countering the curse. He stood between Draco and Voldemort, protecting the Slytherin with his wings. Harry turned to Draco, took him by the hand and pulled him into their room.

"Harry," Draco gasped, wrenching himself out of his nightmare. His eyes flew open and he grabbed Harry into a rough hug. He couldn't stop his tears from falling down his face. He clung to Harry, never wanting to let go. Harry slowly rubbed Draco's back, soothing him, whispering assurances into his ear.

"Don't leave me," Draco whispered into Harry's shoulder.

"Never," Harry said, hugging Draco tighter to his chest.

After a few minutes, Draco quieted down and slowly let go of Harry. He sat up on the couch and rested his head in his hands, leaning his elbows on his knees. Harry took the moment to run to Mrs. Weasley and let her know that Draco was awake. She nodded and within minutes had a bowl of soup in one hand and a cup of hot tea in the other. She laid them on the coffee table in front of Draco. Draco smiled weakly and mumbled his thanks before picking up the soup and devouring it. Mrs. Weasley shook her head sadly and left the two boys alone again.

"I don't want to talk about it yet," Draco said to Harry.

"It's okay. We have all the time in the world," Harry said, placing his hand on Draco's knee.

-x-

Harry ran up to his room to get some clothes for Draco. As he was fishing some out, Ginny coughed politely at his doorway.

"Is he alright?" she asked, walking in after Harry smiled at her. She sat on Harry's bed, fiddling with his unmade bed sheets.

"Yeah," Harry said, his voice filled with relief. "He will be now."

"Okay," Ginny said, staring at Harry's back. "So you and Malfoy are…"

Harry whipped around, his eyes wide with shock. "I – We. Er, what?"

"Oh _come on_, it's pretty obvious," Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

Harry blushed, proving Ginny's point. "Does everyone know?"

Ginny laughed quietly. "If Ron knew, wouldn't you think you'd know?" she asked incredulously. "Of course, he can be immensely dense, so that doesn't count I guess. In fact, I'm pretty sure all Weasley men have inherited the trait of being sublimely impervious to their surroundings. I'm sure Mum knows. She knows everything. Hermione too, but she's still trying to wrap her head around the fact that Malfoy is a Death Eater," she explained. "Of course, not by choice," she quickly added when she saw Harry open his mouth with frustration.

Harry sighed and turned back to his chest, pulling out sweaters and jeans.

"Soooo, how serious?" she asked in an offhand voice.

Harry stiffened again before whining, "Ginny, too personal!"

"What? Do you want me to spread false rumors or real gossip?" Ginny asked indignantly.

"_None_ would be fine by me," Harry said, bunching up all his clothes and shutting his trunk with his foot.

"Harry, this is so not fair!" Ginny's frustrated voice sounded as Harry reached the doorway. He smiled slightly before traipsing down the stairs.

-x-


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

Over the course of the day, the Weasleys were warming up to the idea of Draco taking up a small corner of their house. They were mostly comfortable because Harry didn't seem to mind Draco at all. Ron was surprised to find that Harry was cordial, borderline friendly to Draco. Hermione rolled her eyes when Ron said as much to her. They were starting their preparations for New Year's. Draco watched curiously as the household returned to normalcy. He knew that sitting down and not moving was probably the best thing he could do to help. So he perched on the couch, allowing the commotion to surround him. He wanted to forget his past few days. He wanted to forget the pain caused by his own father. He wanted to pretend like it never happened.

Harry watched Draco inconspicuously and noticed that his color was returning as the day wore on. The excitement around the family was infectious, so Harry wasn't surprised to find Draco sitting on the couch with a small smile on his face. Mrs. Weasley kept feeding him hot soup. The Weasley twins didn't discriminate, so they took every opportunity to try and prank Draco. Ginny would often appear in front of him, wiggling her eyebrows, reminding him more and more of Blaise's smug look. As the evening turned to night, the large table was laid out with a feast.

Draco slipped into his seat quietly, sitting across from Harry. Harry was grinning widely at the food and the people. When he caught Draco's eye, he winked quickly before returning to his conversation with Ginny. Draco blushed slightly, looking down on his plate. The food was magnificent, and Draco was surprised to find that he enjoyed the chatter and chaos around the table. It felt like the home of a loving family. Draco was slightly saddened at the thought, but he quickly put it out of his mind. _It's New Year's Eve and I'm not going to let my fucked up life ruin it for everyone else._

Harry could see that Draco had put on a brave face whenever he was around the Weasleys. He appreciated Draco's effort and offered him support through his smile. Draco smiled back before continuing to fill his stomach with mashed potatoes and gravy.

After dinner, the whole family gathered in the large living room. Draco stuck to Harry for most of the evening. He was getting more and more excited about the fireworks display everyone was eagerly chatting about. The Weasley twins had walked out of the front door after dinner to set up, winking slyly at everyone before shutting the door behind them. Speculations about the spectacular display were wild. There were talks of exploding flowers, showering stars and fiery lions. There was plenty of Butterbeer to go around and marshmallows were being toasted over the fireplace.

After an hour of idle talk, the twins had walked into the living room with a flourish and led them to the front yard of the Burrows. Harry and Draco hung back, watching the excited family hop around to get warm in the frigid weather.

Harry slipped his gloved hand around Draco's. Draco smiled slightly as Harry dragged him outside into the snow. There was a light sprinkle of flakes falling from the sky. Draco grinned as the flakes caught his eyelashes, forming into water droplets.

Harry squeezed Draco's hand slightly, causing the blond boy to turn his head. Draco raised his eyebrows quizzically. "Ginny know," Harry mumbled, smiling.

"Really, I hadn't noticed," Draco said, sarcastically.

Harry laughed quietly at the comment. "It'll only be a matter of time before the news spreads. She already idly threatened to expose us, whether I give her information or not," Harry said.

"Sounds a lot like Blaise to me," Draco guffawed.

They fell silent once they heard the shrill whistle of the fireworks flying through the air. The first one was so bright, the spectators had to shield their eyes with their hands to stop from being temporarily blinded. Then the show began. The ground was sizzling as the warm showers of sparklers struck the snow. There were large twinkling centaurs charging towards them at one point. The sky was ablaze with hundreds of red fiery fireworks, filling the night sky like stars. Two dragons charged at each other in midair, and when they struck, the explosions created small popping sounds and multicolored sprinkles of magic. The fireworks burst in every possible color a person to dream of. They formed shapes of lions and broomsticks. Some made music while others zoomed right up to your face. Draco was caught up in the excitement of all this, whooping and ducking with everyone. Harry looked at Draco's grinning face – his cheeks ruddy from the cold and his hair ruffled from the snow. He glanced back at the sky in time to see the grand finale. It was a giant blue crackling cauldron that was threatening to flip over. The family could hear the Weasley twins laughing mischievously as they hid behind the hedges.

"Damn," was all Harry could say before the cauldron tipped from the sky and poured snow all over them. The family was buried to their torsos in light powdery snow. After a moment of astonished silence, Ginny, Charlie, Ron, Bill, and Harry leapt out of the embankment and started heaving gigantic snowballs at the twins. Draco, Hermione, and Mr. Weasley were doubled over with laughter while Percy and Mrs. Weasley were huffily brushing the snow off their hair and clothes.

After a few minutes of snowball wars, the group was exhausted and frozen to the core. Mrs. Weasley started to usher everyone inside with enticing eggnog and hot chocolate. By the time midnight drew closer, everyone had gathered around the fire, recovering from the cold and the excitement.

"Alright everybody, ten seconds!" Arthur yelled, using his wand to put out all the lights. The group was now bathed in the yellow light emitted by the fire. Harry was sitting on the rug next to Draco, his knees pulled up to his chest for warmth. Ginny was seated between Draco and Hermione, looking quite uncomfortable. Hermione and Ron were squishing against each other, their hands entwined. The rest of the brothers were lounging on the couches. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were sitting on the love seat together.

"Ten! Nine!" everyone's voices grew in strength as they closed in on New Year's Day.

"Eight! Seven!" Draco saw Ginny eyeing him slyly. He frowned and raised his eyebrow. She winked at him and pointed to Harry with her eyes.

"Six! Five!" Draco's eyes widened and he shook his head. Ginny glared at him threateningly before nodding insistently.

"Four! Three!" Draco watched Harry through the corner of his eye.

"Two!" Draco smiled at Ginny wryly.

"One! Happy New Year!" Harry yelled, turning to face Draco. Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's neck and pushed him to the floor, kissing him soundly. Harry yelped at being caught unawares, his eyes widened with shock. It only took him a few moments to wrap his arms around Draco's waist, pulling him in. Harry laughed against Draco's extravagant kiss. With a loud pop, Draco finished his kiss and sat back up. Harry was still on the floor, giggling helplessly with his eyes closed. When he finally picked himself up and ran his hand through his hair, he noticed that the living room was eerily silent.

"Er… Well, the thing is," Harry stumbled, blushing when he saw Ron's horrified face. Draco looked at his hands, embarrassed for himself and for Harry. "We – um," Harry tried again. Fred and George were looking like guppies, their mouths hanging open. Harry looked at Draco for help, and found that the blond boy was as confused as him. Harry looked helplessly at the crowd and shrugged, waiting for the inevitable pandemonium.

"That was FUCKING AWESOME!" Ginny yelled, grinning from ear to ear. "I can't believe you did that!" she said, punching Draco on the arm.

Draco groaned as he put his hand to his face. "I can't believe it either," he mumbled. He hesitantly looked up to see if Harry was angry.

Harry smiled faintly at Draco before pulling him in for another kiss, this one shorter and lighter. He wrapped his hand around Draco's neck and held him still. Draco sighed into Harry's soft lips and gently pushed his fingers through Harry's hair.

That seemed to snap the room out of its daze. The brothers on the sofas were catcalling and whistling. Hermione was laughing with Ginny. Ron was blushing furiously, not saying a word. Arthur and Molly were blushing slightly too, seeing this very public display of affection in their living room.

Harry slowly pulled away, leaning his forehead against Draco's. They grinned widely at each other before separating.

"Any questions?" Draco's drawl broke through the chaos.

-x-

Harry was sitting on Ron's bed. Ron appeared to still be in shock, but at least he hadn't punched Harry yet. And he was even asking questions.

"When?"

"About two months ago."

"How?"

"I don't know, it just happened after the Halloween Ball."

"_Why?_"

Harry laughed aloud at that question. He shrugged. "I guess, he just helps me get through all the stuff that's been happening."

"Are you – "

"Yes."

"But you haven't – "

"Um, no, we haven't… _yet_." Harry thought back to the first day he had walked into the Room of Requirements with Draco. He smiled as he remembered their conversation.

"Ew, Harry! Too much information!" Ron said, gagging. He took a deep breath. "Does this mean – "

"Yes, Ron, you'll have to start being nice to Malfoy," Harry said, sighing.

"But he's – "

"I'll talk to him about being nice to you too," Harry replied, rolling his eyes.

"Who else – "

"Well, besides you guys? Neville and Blaise."

"Wait, you told – "

"No, we didn't tell either of them! They knew before we even did."

"Oh. Okay," Ron said. He looked up at Harry. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

Harry grinned evilly. "Really? _Anything_?" He was rewarded with a pillow in the face.

-x-


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

**A/N: ** Let the waterworks begin!

-x-

The next morning, Harry and Draco were sitting on Harry's bed. Draco knew that Harry expected him to talk. But Draco didn't know where to begin. He looked at Harry anxiously, waiting for him to begin.

"I never told you how I got my wild magic," Harry said, looking down at his wand.

"I just thought that you'd tell me when you were ready," Draco said, surprised at the topic.

"Well, I'm ready now," Harry said, turning his bright green eyes up to look at Draco with purpose. Draco nodded silently.

"When my godfather was killed by Bellatrix last summer, he transferred his magic to me. He gave me his support by giving me his most priceless gift. That's where my magic came from. That's why I can read emotions and grow wings."

"Okay… And your wings are just – side effects?"

Harry smiled wryly at Draco's innocent question. "No. Now that I have all this extra magic, Dumbledore said that I was finally able to sustain my wings. Because I'm an – " Harry paused as he though of how ridiculous this was going to sound out loud. "Well, I'm a Faravahar," he said finally, opting for the ancient name.

Draco frowned thoughtfully. "I don't know what that is, Harry," he said quietly.

"Hermione calls me a guardian angel," Harry mumbled, staring back at his wand.

Draco's mind whirled at Harry's words. He was about to scoff at the absurdity of what Harry had said, but as he thought about it, his eyes grew wider. He gazed through Harry, seeing all the clues and thinking of all his memories, trying to fit the puzzle pieces together.

"You are!" Draco gushed, still frowning with concentration. "Harry, you're my angel!" Draco repeated, his mind glowing with pride and hope.

Harry rolled his eyes at Draco's excitement. "There's really no need to make such a big fuss about it, Malfoy. I just happen to be a freak that has a savior complex and a pair of wings," he said.

Draco laughed at Harry's casual rant. He laid his head on Harry's lap, looking up at Harry's face and said, "But you're my freak, Potter."

"Since no one else will have me, I suppose," Harry said sarcastically.

Draco turned his head into Harry's stomach, inhaling the soft scent of fire and chocolates. "I suppose it's my turn now," Draco said, his voice muffled against Harry's sweater.

"Only if you want to tell me, Draco. You aren't obligated. We could wait until Dumbledore gets here," Harry said, running his fingers through Draco's soft hair.

"No, I mean, I _want_ to tell you," Draco explained, closing his eyes against Harry's body. He wanted to feel the warmth, the closeness. Draco took a deep breath and began.

"Christmas day began as usual – lots of presents and lots of food. Mum threw a crazy party, which lasted the whole day. I loved your present, Harry. It was beautiful… Anyway, that night, father came into my room and told me that he had one last – gift – for me. So I followed him to his study.

"That's when he told me that the Dark Lord was _willing_ to let me join his army. You should have heard the way father said it, Harry. Like he was doing me a huge favor. I was terrified at the thought. I tried to tell him that I didn't want to join, gave him excuses about how I had to finish school and that I didn't want to waste my first year of adulthood serving someone," Draco took a shaky breath before continuing.

"Father started off calm, he tried to give me all the reasons to join the Dark Lord. He told me that Malfoys are survivors and that we must always choose the winning side. He is so sure the Dark Lord will win, Harry. When I still refused, he told me about the prestige and honor that came along with being a Death Eater. I almost laughed right in his face as he fed me those lies. He still thinks I'm a child! He believes that I can't think for myself, so he made the decision for me. He didn't _ask_ me to join, he _told_ me. I was furious, Harry. You wouldn't believe all the things he told me, about cleansing the earth of wizards and muggles who are not pure.

"He tried to convince me for over an hour, and I knew he was getting angrier. But I didn't want to give in; I just couldn't give in. And then he – " Draco chocked back a sob. Harry's fingers stilled in Draco's hair. He knew what Draco was going to say, but he didn't want to believe it. Draco was quiet for a few moments.

Harry pulled Draco's chin away from his stomach and looked down at the closed eyes and silent tears. "No, it's okay. You don't have to tell me," Harry murmured, feeling his own eyes prickling. He brushed the tears from Draco's cheeks.

Draco took a deep breath and said, "No, I need you to know, Harry.

"When I still refused to join, my father used the Curciatus curse on me… My own father, Harry; he tortured me in my house. I – How could he – I didn't know what to do. It was the most awful – Like knives were being pushed into me and then twisted. I don't for how long I was on the floor, but I seemed like hours to me. Hours of – torture, pain," Draco paused now, calming himself.

"I was unconscious afterwards, and I guess that's when father took me to – he took me to meet the Dark Lord."

Harry froze at Draco's words. He felt Draco's terror washing over him. Harry wanted to calm Draco with his mind, as he'd done with his friends. But when he tried to reach into Draco's mind, the same dark barrier that refused to let in Harry's magic pushed him back. He flinched as his wrist throbbed with pain and his head pounded. Harry knew he wouldn't be able to calm Draco down magically, so he did the next best thing. He pulled Draco up in his arms and hugged him tightly, letting his warmth seep into Draco's trembling body.

Draco felt his heart slowing down to a normal rhythm when Harry held him. He knew that he was just replaying a memory in his head; he wasn't going to get hurt again because Harry would save him. Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and leaned against his shoulder. He continued whispering into Harry's ear.

"I didn't know where I was, but when I came to, I saw rows of Death Eaters standing on either side of me and the Dark Lord was sitting on a large chair. He didn't say anything. He just waited. And – that's when – he started to look through my memories, Harry. I was so scared for you. I tried to shut my mind, like Severus had taught me to. I tried so hard; I thought I might faint again. He was pushing into my mind, trying to get in. I let him see some of my thoughts, but kept you hidden away. I had to make sure you were safe."

Harry felt tears streaming down his face as he listened to Draco. His heart ached for Draco. He chocked back a sob, waiting for Draco to continue.

"I guess he gave up after finding nothing useful. I think he was impressed. Impressed that I was brave enough to hide information from him. He asked me why I didn't want to join him. I – I was so scared, Harry. I couldn't even speak. He cursed me with Curciatus too. His was worse than father's, Harry. It felt like he knew where it hurt the most and he was just tearing me apart. I hope you never have to go through it," Draco shuddered at the thought of Harry under Voldemort's curse.

Harry let out his bated breath and said, "I have… And I know what you felt. And I'm –" his voice cracked under emotion. "I'm so sorry you went through it," he said, sobbing into Draco.

"Oh, Harry," Draco groaned as he felt Harry's chest heave with emotion. He knew that half of the emotion that was flooding Harry's mind was Draco's, so he tried to shut Harry out. Harry felt Draco's mind closing. He felt relief flooding through him as his mind started to unload. He stopped crying into Draco and held him for a few minutes. "Thank you," Harry said softly.

"After that, everything was just a blur. I don't remember a whole lot. I was under the Imperius curse for most of it, I guess. When the Dark Lord burned the mark into me, I felt tainted. I don't know how to explain it. Like something dark was deposited in me and now it just won't go away," Draco looked at his left forearm. The Dark Mark was faint and red. It showed a skull with a large snake exiting its mouth. The basilisk wrapped around itself, pointing down towards Draco's wrist.

"He told me that if he needed my services, I would be summoned. Then he let me go. My father took me back home. It was like nothing had happened. I was exhausted and my father wouldn't let me out of my room. So I slept for a few days. I could hear my father ranting and raving with Mum about how irresponsible I was and how I embarrassed the Malfoy name. I just couldn't stand it. So I slipped in a bit of sleeping potion into my parents' dinner and snuck out of the house early in the morning. The only place that I could think of that was safe was – with you. I didn't know how to get here, so I Apparated to someplace close by and started walking. I don't know how long I'd been walking for, but I just happened to run into the fence. And after I got here… Well, you know the rest."

Harry pulled away from Draco's embrace and looked into his bloodshot, puffy eyes. "Yes, I know the rest. And now you _are _safe. Here, with me," Harry said, kissing Draco passionately.

-x-

**A/N:** Sorry for making the two of them such sissies. I couldn't write this chapter any other way. They're just two _really _sensitive guys talking about their feelings. Every girl's dream, right? No? Well, I tried… Oh, and I have a thing for fainting guys. It just seems so romantic, having a boy faint into your arms. Or maybe I'm just a masochist.


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

**A/N: **This chapter gave me MAJOR writer's block. Like you won't believe… And I also noticed how extremely sappy Malfoy was becoming. I'm going to try to shape him back into his sarcastic, drawling self in the next chapter.

AND HAPPY 3RD ANNIVERSARY, DEATHLY HALLOWS! YOU WILL BE CHERISHED, ALWAYS!

-x-

Albus Dumbledore was to arrive at the Burrow on the evening of New Year's Day. Molly was busily straightening the house for the arrival of such a prestigious wizard. Fred and George went right behind her, sitting on the cushions, scuffing the floors, and moving the pictures. Half the day was spent in preparation for the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Draco and Harry had freshened up and were sitting on the couches with Hermione and Ron in uncomfortable silence. Occasional polite scowls were exchanged between Draco and Ron. Harry and Hermione tried to start an awkward conversation, which died down after two volleys. So the four just counted the minutes until Dumbledore knocked on the door.

Harry was the first to jump up when he heard it. He pulled Draco along with him as he walked briskly to the door. Hermione and Ron followed them. Molly took a deep calming breath before smiling brightly and opening the door.

Professor Dumbledore warmly hugged Molly, wishing her a happy new year. Mrs. Weasley turned red with pleasure and ushered the wizard into her house.

Dumbledore beamed down on the group that had gathered in the main foyer, shaking everyone's hand and wishing them a happy new year. Draco and Harry gawked at Dumbledore's airy manner of greeting. To an outsider it would seem like Dumbledore had just popped in for a casual visit. After casual pleasantries were exchanged, Dumbledore's face became grave.

"Well, Mr. Malfoy, I am terribly sorry for the injustice that has been done to you. Molly, could Draco and I talk in private in your living room?"

Mrs. Weasley nodded eagerly, leading the way. Dumbledore beckoned Draco to follow.

"Could Harry come too?" Draco asked uncertainly.

Dumbledore smiled at Harry before nodding. Draco sighed with relief and the two boys walked into the living room after their Headmaster. Dumbledore indicated for the two boys to sit down on the couch while he stood in front of the fireplace, contemplating about where to begin.

"Mr. Malfoy, I cannot imagine how difficult this must be for you. But I must ask you to recount your misfortunes to me, starting with Christmas day," Dumbledore said somberly.

Draco took a deep breath before detailing his encounters with Lucius Malfoy and Lord Voldemort. Harry felt Dumbledore's mood becoming melancholy as Draco reluctantly talked about his father's insistence. Dumbledore's mood changed to quiet anger when Draco tried to glaze over his experience with the two Unforgivable Curses. After Draco hesitantly showed Dumbledore his Death Mark, Harry felt the old wizard emitting empathy and kindness. Harry sat breathlessly as he heard Draco's monotone voice recounting the four days. Draco finished his accounts, trying not to think about what he had just said. Dumbledore was silent for several minutes. Harry took Draco's hand in his, gently stroking his palm.

"These are very dangerous times. It is so regretful that young men like yourselves are caught in the eye of the storm. Mr. Malfoy, I will give you asylum at Hogwarts. I know that you will not be able to return home. However, even Hogwarts cannot stop the Dark magic that is in you. When Voldemort summons his army, you and all of his Death Eaters will have no choice but to follow."

Harry's hand clenched tightly around Draco's fingers. Draco nodded solemnly.

"But until then, I will provide you with protection from Voldemort," Dumbledore said, looking gravely at Draco's pale face. "I am hoping that you will be able to return to classes without any hindrance from your housemates. We must tell no one about your Dark Mark, lest the Ministry catch wind of it. I am certain your father will not be taking your matter to the press, and since you are of age, your parents will not be able to claim you. So please, remember my words. _No one must find out_." Dumbledore looked at the two boys grimly.

After their talk, Dumbledore was invited to dinner, which went splendidly since the entire table was on their best behavior. The happy atmosphere helped ease Draco's worries slightly. He was afraid of going back to Hogwarts. He was afraid of what would happen when his arm started to burn. He was afraid of what he could be made to do to Harry when the time came.

Dumbledore talked to the entire household, explaining to them the risks of knowing about Draco and what would happen to the Slytherin if anyone found out about his Dark Mark. They had all agreed to keep the secret. The Headmaster also said that it wouldn't be wise for Draco to return to Hogwarts on the train, so they arranged for him to arrive at the castle using the Floo Network. Dumbledore left the Burrow soon after dinner, thanking his hosts graciously before Disapparating to the Ministry. Molly heaved a sigh of relief since everything had gone according to plan.

The house was in utter chaos within minutes. Harry pulled Draco away from the twins' antics and they slipped up to Harry's room.

"You know you'll be fine, right?" Harry asked Draco, kissing his softly.

Draco sighed into Harry's lips and nodded. Harry pulled away slightly.

"Good," he said, giving Draco a final goodnight kiss.

-x-

The rest of the week was passed in relative peace. Occasional snowball fights broke out, always started by Fred and George. Many games of Exploding Snaps were played. Vacation homework was hastily completed. Clothes were stuffed back into trunks. Lengthy goodbyes were said.

Harry decided to travel with Draco instead of in the Hogwarts Express. Draco was glad for the company. They left the Burrow right after Ron, Hermione, and Ginny left for the train. Traveling in the Floo Network was never the most enjoyable way to journey, but it was quick and reliable. Harry and Draco found themselves waving goodbye to the Weasley's one second and then looking into the large office of Albus Dumbledore the next. They brushed the soot off of their school robes and stepped out of the fireplace gingerly.

"Ah, Harry and Draco, I see you've arrived safely," the Headmaster said, looking up from his work. "Your luggage is in your rooms. The other students will start arriving this afternoon, so you will have to amuse yourselves for a few hours."

Harry and Draco smiled graciously before skirting off to the Room of Requirements. Both of them leapt into the bed in three strides, laughing as they bounced on the mattress. They lay on their backs, staring up at the black canopy.

"Oh, it feels so great to be back," Harry said, looking at Draco. The blond boy nodded, a slight smile tugging at his lips. He rolled onto Harry, staring down into Harry's eyes.

"So, what do you want to do?" Draco asked, mischief ringing in his voice.

"_Not _that," Harry said, trying to dislodge his amorous counterpart.

"But we have the whole morning to wile away. Whatever shall we do, Potter?" Draco asked, kissing Harry's neck slowly. Harry's stomach stirred slightly and his breath quickened.

"Um…" Harry said weakly, trying to gather his thoughts. He felt Draco's need, passion, and love. He knew that Draco wanted things to be normal again, whatever normal was. "Malfoy, this is _so_ not fair," Harry breathed out when Draco ran his hands down Harry's sides.

"I'm just returning the favor," Draco said slyly as he took off Harry's robe and tie. He straddled Harry's hips and started to unbutton his shirt slowly. Harry watched Draco with half closed eyes. Draco's emotions were arousing him. Draco pulled Harry's shirt open, feasting his eyes on the magnificent muscles and unblemished skin. He saw the small ruby glowing against Harry's chest. He touched it lightly, feeling its warmth filling his fingers. Harry lifted up his hand and held Draco's against the ruby, smiling passionately at him.

"You're welcome," Draco whispered as he bent down and kissed the ruby, placing it back on Harry's chest. "Now I'll always be with you," he said, feeling Harry's heart beating beneath his pale fingers. He bent down to kiss Harry's lips. Harry leaned up and met him halfway, his hands wrapping around Draco's neck. Draco's hands raced along Harry's warm body, exploring every muscle, feeling every dimple. His lips soon followed, tasting Harry, leaving soft red marks under his skin. Harry sighed with pleasure and his heart thumped erratically against his chest. Draco quickly undid Harry's jeans and pushed it off of him. Harry's boxers constricted his arousal, and Draco slowly took them off of Harry as well. Harry looked vulnerable, yet so powerful underneath Draco. His eyes were smoldering with fire but his lips were trembling silently as he looked into Draco's eyes.

Draco winked at Harry before pushing him towards the headboard. He settled between Harry's legs and softly touched Harry's hardness. Harry shuddered at the intimacy of the touch. He moaned when Draco delicately touched his tip. He called out Draco's name softly when he felt his shaft being enveloped in cold fingers. His eyes wrenched open when he felt Draco's mouth covering the length of his arousal.

"Oh god!" Harry cried out as Draco licked Harry luxuriously. He latched his arms above him and onto the headboard, trying to hang on to his sanity. He squeezed his eyes shut again when he felt Draco's mouth moving up and down his shaft. Harry couldn't bear the feeling. Draco's mouth felt so soft against his arousal. Harry had to push himself into the mattress to keep from pumping into Draco's mouth.

Draco heard Harry's exclamations and renewed his assault on Harry's body. He ran his hands along Harry's thighs, tracing it lightly with his fingertips. He felt Harry's muscles quiver as he flicked his tongue over Harry's tip. He started to pump Harry vigorously, wanting to hear Harry's moans of passion.

Harry was edging closer to his climax. His body was aching from the pressure he was putting on it. Harry wanted to prolong this experience. But when Draco ran his hand along Harry's quivering stomach and licked his tip roughly, Harry felt like he'd just jumped off the edge and was plummeting towards the ground. Draco felt Harry starting to climax and pulled his mouth away, moving up to kiss Harry's shuddering chest and neck. Harry had never felt this much ecstasy before. His stomach kept dropping and his body was buzzing as the first waves of climax hit him. He no longer plummeted to the ground; he felt like he was soaring. He let go of the headboard and entwined his fingers into Draco's, a roar emerging from his clenched jaws. The rush he felt was entirely different from when magic coursed through his veins. This was so much more. His body was shaking after Harry came down from the clouds. He opened his eyes and saw Draco looking at him lovingly, stroking Harry's cheek with the back of his fingers. Harry wrapped Draco in his arms and held him tight, kissing him long and hard.

"That was –" Harry started saying breathlessly.

"I know," Draco interrupted, laying his head against Harry's bare chest. He kissed the ruby once more before pulling the blanket over them.

-x-


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

"Everything is so absurdly normal," Draco said, lounging on the couch in the Room of Requirements.

They'd been back in school for two weeks now. As Dumbledore had predicted, Lucius Malfoy wasn't keen on making Draco's 'insolence' public. The Weasleys were very good at keeping their secret. Everyone was treating Draco the same way they had before Christmas break. And for some odd reason, Draco was feeling uncomfortable with that.

"Draco, remember, normal is good," Harry mumbled his mantra again as he ate his sandwich.

Draco made a sound of frustration. "It's just not fair!" he said, punching the couch cushion with his fist.

"When you're done wallowing in your self-pity, we can start on our Potions essay," Harry said causally, making room at the table and pulling out his parchments.

Draco glowered at the back of Harry's head. He sulked on the couch while Harry studied. Draco had told Blaise that his family had a falling out, which had helped explain why his mother and father were acting so strangely. Draco wished he could tell Blaise the truth. He felt that his friend would be accepting. Draco wanted someone other than Harry to talk to. When he talked to the Gryffindor, he felt as though all that Harry had been through shadowed his own pain and suffering. He knew that Harry had met the Dark Lord several times, had been tortured by Death Eaters, and had watched friends being killed. Draco was always reluctant to voice his trepidations to the boy, who had evidently experienced far worse. Draco yearned to talk to a friend who wasn't Harry. Good sense told him that he couldn't, which caused his mood to darken daily.

_Thank goodness for Severus_, Draco thought glumly. His godfather had been more than willing to talk to Draco about what had happened with Voldemort on Christmas day. He had been there. He had watched as the Dark Lord tortured his godson. He had stilled his hand from reaching for his wand when the Dark Mark was burned into Draco's forearm. Draco understood that Severus needed to be on high footing when it came to Voldemort. Severus was the spy that Dumbledore relied on. He was the loyal servant of the Dark Lord whose conscience got the better of him when the love of his life had been killed mercilessly. Severus knew the pain of wanting to protect the people he loved against such a dark force. Draco wished he could tell Severus the real reason he'd hid his memories from Voldemort. The young Slytherin wanted Severus to know that he too loved and wanted to protect.

Over the course of two weeks, Harry could feel Draco distancing himself away from everyone. He understood that Draco was carrying huge burdens on his shoulders. But Harry couldn't help. He'd tried to reach out to Draco, hoping that by talking, his worries would wash away. Instead, Draco was starting to shy away from talks. He was becoming more introverted and hot tongued whenever he was questioned. Harry decided to see how Draco's behavior played out before taking any action.

Draco sighed with aggravation once again before getting up and walking over to the table. He plopped into the chair and vehemently pulled out his potions book and quill. Harry eyed him from his seat, watching Draco's hands furiously rake his hair and rub his eyes. They sat in silence, slight scratches of the quill interrupting them every so often. Draco was trying to read the instructions on how to make a remedy for venomous snakebites. He read over the same lines five times, finally realizing that he couldn't concentrate on it. He stared blankly at his book, fury starting to bubble over. He quickly shut his mind down, so Harry didn't feel his emotions. Harry was used to Draco shutting him out, he knew that Draco needed his privacy. So he merely glanced up at the sudden loss of emotions before returning to his paper.

"My life fucking blows," Draco said flatly, throwing down his book. Harry opened his mouth to reply to the comment, but thought better of it, shutting his mouth with a snap. Draco picked up his Transfigurations notes, hoping he'd have better luck with theory. He took in a deep breath before beginning to read the notes. He was mildly surprised that he could keep his attention on this. He continued to read for several minutes, taking care to underline important information. However, as his attention span wore off, he felt the same insistent nagging anger bubbling in his stomach. His life seemed to revolve around his Dark Mark, and he hated it. Even trying to distract himself with school wasn't helping. No one was helping.

He angrily ran his hand through his hair again, trying to gather his wits. _Of course they are helping. They are trying… _ He tried to calm himself down. Harry watched curiously out of the corner of his eye as Draco's facial expressions changed rapidly. One minute he was frowning, the next he was pursing his lips. After that he was staring blankly, and then he'd go back to frowning and biting his cheek.

Harry had had enough of Draco's fidgeting. He set his quill down forcefully, staring at Draco. "Malfoy, what's your problem?" Once the question left his lips, Harry wanted to take it back.

Draco's face flushed red before draining of color. He stared at the table intensely when he heard Harry's voice. When he took in the meaning of Harry's question, his anger started to spill over. He looked up furiously at Harry before jumping up, toppling his chair in the process. He opened his mouth furiously, but bit back his response. He stared coldly at Harry, then started picking up his books and stuffing them into his bag.

Harry got up slowly, watching Draco's stone mask returning to his face. "Wait, I didn't mean – Draco, stop. Just… talk to me," Harry said, pleading.

Draco took in a ragged breath before setting his face into an indifferent expression and staring blankly at Harry. "I've already talked to you. That's all I've been doing the past week. That's all anyone wants me to do. _Talk_," he said in a quiet, derisive tone.

"Damn it, Malfoy! I won't know what to do unless you tell me," Harry hissed, stepping closer to Draco.

"Potter, I don't _want_ you to do _anything_ for me, okay. Just – I just need some space right now," Draco said, pushing past Harry.

Harry grabbed Draco's arm roughly and whipped his around. "How much more space do you need, Malfoy? You hardly let me in anymore. I – I can't even read you," he claimed, feeling his anger rise.

"Has it ever occurred to you that I don't want you to read me?" Draco wrenched his arm away and strode towards the door.

"You can't run away from your problems!" Harry said fiercely.

Draco felt his stomach clench and his hands balled into fists. He twirled around, staring at Harry with shock. "Did you just – How _dare _you!" he said quietly, hearing the fury in his voice. "You are accusing me of _running away_? After all I've been through?" Angry tears streaked down his face. "After what I did for you?" he chocked. He flashed his grey eyes into Harry's green ones. "You want to know what I feel? Then _feel it_," Draco snarled, opening his mind.

"Please," Harry whimpered. He fell to his knees as his mind tried to process the sensory overload. He gasped with pain when he felt his stomach churn. Draco's mind was poisoning his with anguish, torture, and anger. He tried to ask Draco to stop, but couldn't speak because of the loud sobs wracking through him. He tried to use his wild magic to strengthen his mind. He struggled to get his amulet out, squeezing his hand around it. He tried to imagine the rush he felt when the magic coursed through him, but all he could feel was sadness and pain. By now, he was on all fours, trying to keep his limbs from collapsing under him.

Draco watched with horror. He was rooted on the spot as he watched Harry struggling. He heard Harry cry out in pain. He watched Harry scratching at his neck and pulling the ruby out. He saw Harry clenching it tight in his hands. But he didn't see Harry strengthening. Harry was weakening. Because of Draco. Draco tried to close his mind against the torrent of emotion that was flooding out of him. He ran over to Harry and knelt down, afraid to touch him. Draco tried to push away his anger and reign in his calm memories. "Harry, I'm so sorry. I'm trying – I'm trying to hold it in. Please, just fight it," he pleaded, closing his eyes. He wanted to cleanse his body of all the hate and fury. He took in a deep shuddering breath, only thinking of stopping Harry from hurting.

Harry's sight was fading to black when he felt the slow decrease in emotion. He felt some of the fear and anger leaving him. He took another breath and felt the cool air entering his tired body. His sobs died down slowly and his mind was clearing. At the same time, he felt the heady rush of magic flowing through him from the amulet. He gasped at the force with which it hit him. He couldn't stop his wings from ripping through his shirt. He groaned against the power that was rushing through him. He felt like he was losing control.

Draco had his eyes squeezed shut against the magic that was pushing into him. He felt the lush carpet rustling against Harry's power. Draco's body was aching from the torrents of magic hitting it. It didn't flow through him, like it used to. It moved around him, trying to nudge through the Dark magic barrier that was inside him. He knew that if Harry wanted to, he could easily snuff out Draco's miserable life. He felt terrified and slightly relieved at that thought. Dying wouldn't be so bad. He was sure he deserved it. Or he would deserve it when Voldemort summoned him. So might as well die before he did something truly horrific. He wondered vaguely if Harry would kill him if he asked politely. _I'm sure its better to be killed by Harry than to watch him being killed_, Draco reasoned. That's when he felt arms enveloping him with rigor. He felt feathers curling up around him, leaving him in darkness. His breath caught in his throat as he accepted his fate.

"Don't you dare think like that," Harry's quiet voice interrupted Draco's musings. Harry buried his head in Draco's shoulder, holding him tight. "I'm so sorry," Harry's muffled voice resounded in Draco's baffled brain. _Why was Harry sorry? I put him through this, and now he's apologizing?_ Draco pushed Harry away, staring at his dim outline.

"Damn it, Harry! I – this is my fault! I'm tired of you apologizing for my mistakes. I'm tired of you being so selfless. I'm tired of you being so understanding. I don't even know why you love me. I'm just a worthless piece of shit. I can't even look after myself and now I just hurt the one person that I care about. Harry, why don't you just leave me alone?" Draco hissed fiercely. "Why don't you hate me?" he whispered faintly.

"I'm not apologizing for you," Harry said, pulling Draco back into his arms. He needed Draco to know this. "I'm apologizing for all _I've_ put you through. I'm apologizing because I won't be able to share your pain, Draco. I'm not strong enough to help you, because - I'm struggling to help myself. I'm apologizing because I may never understand. And because I'm a selfish bastard, Draco. I want to help you so I'll have someone to love. And I _want_ you to love me back, even if you're a self-professed worthless piece of shit. You're everything to me. I need you. I don't care how many times you hurt me. I won't ever let you leave," Harry pulled Draco into a teary kiss.

Draco felt all his anger wash away as Harry's salty lips touched his. He slowly ran his fingers down Harry's cold, damp cheeks, wiping away the trails. _Even with angel wings, you're so helpless, Harry_. Draco kissed deeply, trying to ease Harry's worries. If Harry didn't want him to leave, he wouldn't. If Harry loved him that much, Draco would love him even more. Harry's wings pressed tightly against his back, like it would never let go. They sat on the floor for a while, feeling each other's warmth. They were exhausted from their emotional outbursts. Harry slowly took back his magic, touching his amulet and letting his wings collapse into his shoulders. He felt his body trembling slightly as the magic left him. Draco lifted his head from Harry's shoulder and kissed Harry's cheek softly before letting go.

"Oh, crap," Draco said softly. Harry finally opened his eyes, focusing on Draco. That's when he noticed the sofa behind Draco. It was splintered and broken, wedged against the wall. Draco saw the bed mangled on the floor, the pillows and mattress reduced to shreds. The table with the food was pushed up against the window, pastries staining the windowpane and the carpet. The room was a disaster.

"Er, sorry. I couldn't control myself," Harry mumbled, blushing.

Draco laughed shakily before saying, "Well, the décor was a little too Gryffindor. Now I can finally redecorate."

-x-

**A/N**: HOLY GUACK! I just came across the sexiest picture of Tom Felton while 'researching'. God, what a hunk! Fuck, I can't keep my eyes off of him (I keep staring at the photos every five minutes). This revelation may lead to hotter, steamier sex scenes featuring Draco!


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

**A/N:** If you guys haven't started watching A Very Potter Sequel yet, for shame! It's Harry Freakin' Potter! I admit, it's not as good as the first one, but who cares, right? Youtube it! If you have a couple of hours to spare. Otherwise don't. Because you'll be hooked.

-x-

"You know what you should do?" Draco asked Harry.

Harry looked up from his snack and raised his eyebrow. Draco looked down at his hands, hesitating. After the emotional train wreck from last week, he'd been trying hard to make it up to Harry.

"Malfoy, you don't have to watch _everything_ you say around me. Seriously, I thought we were past this?" Harry said, picking at his salad. They were splayed on their stomachs, enjoying the new bed.

"I know, Potter. This isn't like that," Draco said scathingly.

"Fine, what is this like?" Harry asked.

"Well… I was wondering if you'd teach me to – I haven't learnt how – Just help me with the Patronus charm, okay?" Draco fumbled with the blanket.

Harry stared at Draco dumbly for a second before laughing. "Is that all? You were stumbling around to ask me if I'd teach you how to do the bloody Patronus charm? Of course, I'd teach you!" he shook his head at Draco's apprehension.

So began their defense lessons. They transformed the Room of Requirements into a large empty hall with cushions lining the edges and mirrors along the far wall. The other walls were lined with softly lit scones. Their footsteps and voices echoed against the stone archways as they walked into the hall, towards the mirrors.

Harry shrugged off his robe to allow for some movement. Draco quickly followed, tossing his on the floor. Pulling out his wand, he looked expectantly at Harry.

"This is very powerful magic, Draco. We should take it easy to begin with before we do any major damage to either of us," Harry said, slowly taking out his wand.

Draco scoffed and said, "Harry, you cast your first Patronus in third year. Give me some credit."

Harry shrugged and started. He told Draco that in order for the Patronus charm to work, he would require immense focus and positivity. "It is a part of you – the positive energy in you – that comes out in physical form. You won't know what it is until you have successfully cast it. If your concentration breaks, even for a second, it will cause your Patronus to falter. I need you to sift through your memories and pull out the most powerful ones; the happiest and most hopeful moments of your life. Then you move your wand like so and the incantation is 'Expecto Patronum'."

"What's your Patronus, Harry?" Draco asked, idly swishing his wand in the same motion Harry had done.

"It's my father. In his animagus form," Harry said quietly. Draco's hand faltered when he heard the admission. He looked at Harry's forlorn face before continuing.

"Your father was an animagus? That is very powerful magic. What did he become?"

"He was a stag. His friends called him Prongs," Harry smiled when he thought of Lupin and Black.

Draco jibed, "What a stupid name!" hoping to get a reaction from Harry.

Harry chuckled at Draco's blunt comment. "I know. Wait until you hear what the rest of them were called," Harry chortled. Draco was mildly surprised that he hadn't managed to rile Harry up.

Draco took a deep breath and started to file through his mind, randomly choosing memories that he thought were powerful enough. Most of them were from his childhood, when he was blissfully innocent. When he went on his first vacation to Paris with his mother. When he first rode on his broomstick. When he cast his first successful spell.

"Okay, I've got a few," Draco said, finally looking up at Harry.

"Now, just say the charm and concentrate on letting the positivity flow out of your wand."

Draco nodded curtly. He faced the wall of mirrors. "Expecto Patronum," he chanted, filling his mind with his oldest memories. Nothing came out.

"Not strong enough, Draco. Choose other memories," Harry said, keeping his tone light.

Draco searched for more memories. He remembered his first professional Quidditch match, the excitement and happiness that had flowed through him when the Tutshill Tornadoes won. He tried casting the spell again. Nothing happened.

"Harry, what do you think about?" Draco asked, perturbed.

Harry hesitated. It was a very personal question. Only Lupin knew what made his Patronus work. He frowned at the floor before making up his mind. If he wanted Draco to cast the spell successfully, he'd need to do a demonstration. He filled his mind with happiness, remembering his mother's eyes and his father's crooked smile. "Expecto Patronum," he chanted, moving his wand. Out of the end of it, pale silver mist shot out, slowly taking form.

Draco gasped as the stag appeared in front of him. It stared regally at Draco, tilting its head to one side. It then turned back to face Harry, watching him. Harry was trembling at the sight of the Patronus. He felt his mind faltering as he tried to reach out and touch it. The stag slowly faded away and the silver mist reentered Harry's wand. Harry dropped his eyes to the floor, willing his eyes to stay dry.

"I think of my parents, Draco," Harry said, holding in his sadness. He arranged his face into a smile before looking back up at Draco. "I told you, your memories need to be powerful. It helps if you pick just one memory and hold onto it. That way you won't break your concentration."

Draco nodded quietly. He recalled his time with Harry on Halloween night. "Expecto Patronum." This time, he felt his arm twinge as the wand pulled at him. _Okay, now just concentrate._ He tried again and this time the wand rewarded him with wisps of sliver.

"Excellent!" Harry exclaimed gleefully.

"Not good enough, Potter," Draco murmured before choosing another memory – the first time he kissed Harry's soft lips. "Expecto Patronum." A steadier stream of silver fell out of the end of his wand.

He remembered the first time Harry told him that he loved Draco. He tried again, feeling the charm grow stronger. Harry watched breathlessly as Draco progressed quicker than he'd expected.

He remembered the feel of Harry's wings against his back as he was being held protectively. He let his mind fill with Harry. "Expecto Patronum," he said strongly, his clear voice reverberating through the hall. He felt the magic pulling through him and filtering out his wand. He watched with marvel when the silver mist started to take shape. The form was starting to waver.

"Concentrate, Draco," Harry's voice sounded from over his shoulder. Draco imagined Harry's heart beating against his. He remembered the warmth emitting from Harry's body and his wings. He sighed as peace filled him and watched the Patronus glow.

The figure was crouching on the ground, hunched over. Draco squinted against the light, trying to make out his Patronus. With a smooth motion, the form swept forward, pulling up against Draco. Draco stumbled backwards and bumped into Harry's chest. "Harry?" Draco's voice cracked.

"Er… Yeah. That's – I'm pretty sure – Yeah, that's me," Harry said haltingly from behind Draco, staring at Draco's Patronus.

It looked like Harry. It stared questioningly into Draco's eyes. It had the same shock of hair on its head, the same scar and the same soft smile. Its wings were spread protectively around the two startled boys. Draco's breath caught in his throat and his mind faltered at the beautiful Patronus. With a slight shimmer, the silver form vanished. Harry and Draco stared at each other through the mirror. Both their faces were pale and their jaws were open. They snapped it shut as they woke up from their daze.

"Wait. You?" Draco's voice squeaked. He cleared his throat and tried again. "You are my Patronus?"

Harry shrugged and nodded, blushing. "I guess you just can't get rid of me, Draco," he said sheepishly.

-x-

**A/N**: Before you all jump at my throat about how Malfoy's Patronus isn't an animal, I just wanted to make some things clear. _Patronus_ means 'guardian'. When a person casts the spell, they are summoning their protector. It doesn't always have to be an animal. I don't know why so many of them are. It could be anything, really. It's just a shield that blocks the Dementors. I know, I know, super cheesy… I couldn't help it! And yes, this is a filler chapter.


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

**A/N**: Finished watching AVPS and now I really want to do a story about Draco and Luna! I'm so easily influenced!

-x-

Harry's private lessons with Remus were getting more advanced as the weeks progressed. Harry was now able to manipulate emotions of an individual with relative ease. He could focus on the emotions of a single person without having to worry about the other emotions flooding through him from the crowd. He could use his magic to bring objects closer to him. He was able to successfully heal some of the creatures that were in the room. He was starting to learn how to pull magic out of his gemstone and into his wand on this particular day.

"No, no, no, Harry," Remus said with frustration. "I don't want you to pull the magic out of your fingers. I want you to pull it out of your wand."

Harry was trying to heal another plant. But this time he wasn't allowed to have contact with it. He had to use his wand to mend the plant's half-snapped stem. He wasn't allowed to use any other spells, only the basic healing charm.

"Remus, I can do this charm without my wild magic," Harry said, his voice strained with concentration.

"We need to start somewhere, and this is the first step. I know you can use your regular magic to bind the stem together, but I need you to learn to use your wild magic so that, when the occasion arrives, you will have enough experience to mend a person," Remus explained again.

Harry huffed with stubbornness. He was tired of trying to pull his magic into his wand. He knew how to do it, but he didn't know how to control it. He didn't want the room to explode with plants. After several more minutes to trying to send a low trickle of wild magic into his wand, Harry was ready to give up.

"I can't do this," Harry said, letting his wand drop to his side. Remus sighed and nodded resignedly.

"Perhaps we're going too fast," he said, handing Harry a chocolate frog.

Harry made a noise of frustration. "I just can't control what comes out of my wand. I don't know how. Once the wild magic enters it, there isn't anything I can do to stop it from flooding out," Harry explained, shaking his head.

"Tsk, tsk… You have too many distractions, Harry," Remus said.

-x-

"Of course, I'm distracted," Harry said heatedly. He was sitting in the empty common room with Ron. They were playing chess and Ron was on his way to beating Harry for the third time in a row. Harry was complaining about his lesson that night, and how he wasn't able to do the simplest tasks.

"I mean, Valentine's Day's coming up!" Harry said.

Ron looked up at Harry in disbelief. "Harry, you may very well be killed this year and your distraction is that you don't know what to get Malfoy for Valentine's Day? Unbelievable!" he rested his head in his propped hand.

Harry huffed at the way Ron said it. Of course, it sounded ridiculous. But he had always had the 'Voldemort is going to torture me any day now' thought tugging at his mind. Having an 'I'm in a relationship on Valentine's Day' thought was a new experience for him. He was having a tough time dealing with it.

"Get him some chocolates and a bunch of roses," Ron said, cornering Harry's bishop.

Harry snorted with derision at that image in his head. Handing Draco a heart-shaped box of sweets and a bouquet of flowers wrapped in a bow seemed as ridiculous as watching Ginny's well aimed Bat-Bogey Hex hitting unsuspecting Slytherins. _He'd probably react the same way too, hexing me with a ruthless Jelly-legs Jinx._

"What? You needed ideas and I'm giving you some," Ron said, frowning at Harry's amused expression.

"Ron, I want good ideas. Not ideas that'll get me killed!"

"Fine, fine. That's what I'm getting Hermione. Think she'll like it?"

Harry smiled at his friend. Ron and Hermione's relationship was starting to move on from purely physical to more emotional. "Yes, I'm sure she will," Harry said, sacrificing the knight for the sake of the bishop.

-x-

"Blaise, you are absolutely no help to me," Draco said forcefully, falling back onto his bed.

"What? Just give him a good shag, it's a gift that keeps on giving," Blaise said, looking up from his letter. "It's also a win-win," he added faintly, pursing his lips at something on the parchment.

"Grow up," Draco said tiredly. _Valentine's Day is a bitch_.

"And yet, his voice is unmistakably tinged with sexual frustration," Blaise murmured to himself.

"I heard that."

Blaise sighed and sat up on his bed. "I don't know, snog the hell out of him? Oh, wait, that's what you guys do everyday for _two freakin' hours_. Sheesh," Blaise said.

Draco sat up indignantly. "We do _not_ snog for two hours!" he said frowning. Then he pouted, "Although that would be bloody amazing."

Blaise gagged and lay back down on his bed. "God, Malfoy, you need a good lay," he muttered.

"I fuckin' heard that!"

-x-

Harry was miserably taking out his Potions book. It was Valentine's Day and, as always, his bed had been covered with chocolates and letters when he woke up. Relentless teasing from his dorm mates didn't help his mood. He hadn't received a moment of peace as girls – and a few daring boys – kept stopping him in the hallways, asking him to be their valentine. _I already have a valentine,_ he had wanted to shout after each pestering request. Keeping his mouth shut had been the hardest feat of all, and now he was growing weary as the day progressed to a close.

"Who died, Potter?" Draco drawled as he walked by Harry's desk in Potions class.

"Shut it, Malfoy," Harry mumbled, flushing.

"Ooh, touchy. Too many scar obsessed fan girls?" Draco continued, mostly for the benefit of the Slytherin students.

Harry scoffed. "Jealous?" he asked, turning to look at him and raise an eyebrow.

Draco's eye twitched into a quick half wink and a smirk was pasted on his face. "Like you wouldn't believe," he said, walking back to his seat. The Slytherins laughed while the Gryffindors scowled. Harry sighed and shook his head at the childish banter.

"Why does Malfoy always get the last laugh?" Ron grumbled, flipping the pages to get to his ingredients list. Harry blinked at the thought. _I don't know_.

"Because I'm passive aggressive," Harry replied, pulling out a sheet of parchment. He wrote slow, deliberate words on it, then discretely pulled out his wand and changed the parchment color to red. He winked at Ron and got up.

He casually strolled over to the Slytherin side of the class, making sure Professor Snape was engaged in a heated debate with Hermione. He stopped in front of Draco's table, waiting until all the Slytherins gave him their undivided attention. Draco looked at Harry derisively, his eyes lighting up with curiosity. Harry slid the paper towards Draco and leaned across the table. He stopped mere inches from Draco's face.

"Now you don't have to be jealous anymore," Harry said quietly, flashing a bright smile. He winked at the other Slytherins and offhandedly walked back to his seat.

Blaise had to clamp his hand over his mouth to keep from hooting with laughter. Draco looked horrified at the sight of the red parchment sitting on his table. Ron was snickering in his seat, biting his knuckles.

"Harry, I can't believe you did that!" Ron hissed, his shoulders shaking from suppressed mirth.

Pansy looked at Draco with amazement. "Did Potter just give you a valentine?" she asked in a hurried hushed tone.

Draco gulped at the parchment, not knowing what to do. When he saw Blaise's hand reaching for it, he snapped out of his daze and grabbed it, stuffing it into his pocket. He shot a dirty look at Blaise's amused face.

"That's not fair, Malfoy. I'm sure he wanted us to read it," Blaise said, looking at his fellow Slytherins for support. They nodded through their shock.

Draco rearranged his face into a mask of indifference. He gulped silently as Theo and Blaise egged him on. Pansy waited with bated breath. His two bodyguards were absolutely no help to him. _Fuck you, Potter_. Feeling his resolve weaken, he scowled fiercely and pulled out the crumpled paper. Blaise quickly snatched it from Draco's hand, smoothening the crinkles.

"And what, exactly, do we have here, Mr. Zabini?" Professor Snape asked, walking up to Blaise and Draco.

Blaise froze, his eyes darting to Draco. Draco groaned and put his head on the table, wanting to die of mortification. The Gryffindors were tittering quietly. Snape took the piece of paper, scowling mildly at the disruption.

"Ah, a valentine. Would you care to read it aloud to the class, Mr. Zabini?" Professor Snape asked, handing the parchment back to Blaise. Blaise shook his head quickly, looking at his classmates for help. No one offered any.

"Let me rephrase. You will read it aloud to the class, Mr. Zabini," Professor Snape said, striding back to his desk and leaning against it. He crossed his arms and stared expectantly at Blaise. Blaise did the first thing he could think of.

"It's not mine, sir. It's Malfoy's."

If looks could kill, Draco would have killed Blaise, then brought him back to life to slowly torture and kill him again. Now the class was giggling loudly with excitement.

"Well, I suppose it's only fair that Mr. Malfoy read it then."

Draco slowly stood up, his face burning red. _Forget that relaxing dinner, I'm going to kill Potter with my bare hands tonight_, he thought as Blaise pushed the parchment into his hands. He pleaded with his godfather using his eyes, but Snape seemed to be enjoying Draco's distress as much as his classmates. Draco stalled for a few moments, trying to keep his embarrassment at bay. Resigning himself to a humiliating couple of days, he took a deep breath.

He cleared his closing throat and started:

_Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue,_

_And you keep forgetting _

_To flush after you – _

A giggle escaped his mouth. _What the hell? _ "Potter, this is the worst damn poetry I've ever read," he said, his voice shaking with laughter. By this time, the entire class was clutching their stomachs and the dungeon was echoing with laughter. Professor Snape allowed himself a small smile before rapping his wand on his desk, silencing the class.

Harry was sitting back on his chair, eyeing Draco vaguely. A smile graced his face when Draco looked back at him. "That was the best I could do in two minutes, Malfoy," he said sarcastically.

"Mr. Potter, any more distractions will earn you detention for a week," Professor Snape said, eyeing him curiously. Harry nodded curtly and returned to his work. Draco allowed himself one last look at Harry's smiling face before sitting down and stuffing the valentine back in his pocket.

Ron was shaking in his seat, trying to keep his amusement silent. "Bloody brilliant!" his shaky voice whispered.

Blaise hid his grinning face in his hands. "Bloody brilliant!" his muffled voice whispered.

-x-


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

March rolled in, bringing balmy days and frigid nights. Lessons were drawing to a close by the end of the month, and reviews were beginning. OWLs and NEWTs would be starting in June and Hermione took it upon herself to make sure the Gryffindors were going to be prepared. Even breakfast at the Great Hall didn't ensure the students any reprieve from Hermione. The Gryffindors were grumbling into their eggs as Hermione handed them their study schedule and review notes that morning.

"You really need to get a handle on that girl of yours, Ron," Seamus said despondently, his chin resting on his palm.

"I know," Ron groaned when he looked at his schedule. "How am I supposed to concentrate for two hours on bloody history?"

Harry looked at his ridiculously meticulous review timetable. "Well, she's certainly spent a lot of time putting us into study groups, hasn't she? Look Ron, we aren't even allowed to study together! I suppose it's for the best, considering I never get anything done while you're around," Harry noted. That comment earned him a kick in the shin.

That's when he felt the slight pain in his forehead. He frowned, touching his lightning scar cautiously. It hadn't burned since last summer, but now the headache was rapidly turning into a stabbing sensation.

Harry's heart started pumping. He knew what was about to happen. He opened his mouth to warn his friends, but all that came out was a moan. His mind shut down as he heard the roaring in his ears from the pain. He struggled out of his bench but he couldn't keep his legs upright. He crumpled onto the floor. The last thing he saw were feet rushing towards him.

-x-

Voldemort was ecstatic. His army was complete. He'd successfully managed to round up the werewolves, giants, trolls, and Dementors. He had made carefully constructed plans. He even had Death Eaters inside Hogwarts. Voldemort knew that it would only be a matter of time before he was able to conquer Albus Dumbledore and get to Harry Potter. _I will finish what I have started_.

Nagini wrapped herself around Voldemort's chair, staring at the gathered Death Eaters hungrily. Voldemort's followers were kneeling on the ground, their heads bowed respectfully. Lucius Malfoy was kneeling beside Voldemort's feet, eyeing the snake wearily. Voldemort roughly grabbed Malfoy's hand and pulled up his sleeve, stabbing his wand into the Death Mark. Lucius hissed with pain and the mark glowed black.

"Our time has come. We will, once again, rule the lands!"

-x-

Harry wrenched himself out of Voldemort's mind, his head steaming with hate and anger. "Draco," he breathed, scrambling up off the floor and rushing past the stunned Gryffindors. He stumbled blindly into Dumbledore, who had gotten up off his seat the Staff's table when he saw the commotion at the Gryffindor end of the hall. Harry's eyes were wild with fear.

"Voldemort – He's coming. And Draco –" he gasped, his eyes stinging with tears. _Draco_. Harry turned to search the Slytherin table.

Draco had seen Harry's eyes grow wide with pain. He had seen Harry stumble out of his bench and fall to the floor. Draco held in his gasp as he watched the scene unfold with horror. He had to use all his power to stay still when Harry was on the floor, writhing in pain. The Great Hall was hushed when they heard Harry's shouts. As abruptly as he'd started shouting, he stopped.

"Out time has come. We will, once again, rule the lands!" Harry said, in an unnaturally calm and calculating tone. The Great Hall echoed with Harry's voice.

Draco's arm burned slightly. He watched Harry scramble up and run smack into Professor Dumbledore. He watched them converse, but couldn't make out the words. Blaise frowned at him and Draco shrugged nervously. Harry looked towards the Slytherin table, searching wildly for Draco.

"Ah, fuck!" Draco yelped, wrenching his arm towards his body. It felt like someone had stabbed him. The pain was growing intensely and Draco realized that he was finally being summoned.

"Draco, are you alright?" Theo asked when he saw Draco looking back at Harry fearfully. "Is he doing something to you?"

"I – no. I have to go," Draco mumbled, getting up. Blaise grabbed his wrist, stopping him.

"Draco, what's wrong?" he asked quietly.

Harry felt Draco's mind weakening with pain. The longer he resisted, the weaker he got. Harry looked at Dumbledore, pleading for help. Professor Snape had slipped out of his seat and was walking deliberately towards the Slytherins.

"We have to do something. We can't just let him go," Harry whispered through his emotions, tears falling from his eyes.

"Harry, when Voldemort summons, he uses his most powerful magic to ensure his followers are loyal. We have no choice," Dumbledore replied in a tired voice. His eyes were dull and his body was slumped slightly.

Harry watched Blaise trying to stop Draco, asking him what was wrong. The Great Hall was bustling with agitation and low murmurs of speculation. Harry felt Draco's anger and fear bursting through his mind, and he knew that Draco wouldn't be able to control his emotions for much longer.

Snape pulled up against Draco's stiff body. "Mr. Zabini, I must ask you to let go of Mr. Malfoy. It appears he is not feeling well. I will escort him to Madame Pomfrey," he said in his smooth, low tone.

Blaise opened his mouth to retort, but when he looked at Draco's pained face, he let go of Draco's wrist. "Alright, but I'm coming with you," he said, stepping over the bench.

"No, Blaise, stay," Draco gasped. The pain was growing inside him, filling his head with red. He latched onto Snape, digging his fingers into Snape's arm.

"There is nothing more you can do, Harry. Please return to your seat and I will have to make a formal announcement to the rest of the students and staff," Dumbledore said, turning around and walking to the podium in front of the staff table.

Harry stared after Dumbledore. _Why isn't anyone stopping him?_ He whipped around to see Professor Snape escorting a very pale looking Draco towards the doors. Ron and Hermione were watching Draco go as well, shifting in their seats. Harry was despondently walking back to his seat when he heard a faint knocking. He looked around, perturbed.

"Harry, did you – is he – You-Know-Who is coming, isn't he?" Seamus asked quietly. The rest of Gryffindor was silent when they saw Harry nod.

"When? Here?" Colin asked, his face turning green.

"I don't know wh-" Harry heard the knocking again. He frowned at Ron. Ron frowned back.

"You alright, Harry?"

"Did you just hear –" Harry started saying before his heart jumped to his throat. _Draco_. Harry threw open the door in his mind, hoping against hope that Draco was outside.

'_Harry, I don't want to go,'_ Draco's consciousness said, pulling Harry into a rough hug.

'_I know,' _Harry said.

'_Help me,'_ Draco insisted, kissing Harry softly on the lips.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Dean was shaking Harry's arm. Harry looked blindly at his friend.

"I have to help him," Harry croaked. He stumbled out of his seat and sprinted across the Great Hall. Snape looked up in shock as Harry raced towards Draco. He put himself in front of the trembling boy.

"Mr. Potter, what do you think you're doing?" he asked, his voice echoing in the quiet hall. All eyes were on them, but Harry didn't care. He pushed Snape away and placed his hands on Draco's shoulders. Draco looked at him with pained eyes, pleading with Harry.

"I'm so scared," Draco whispered shakily.

Harry felt as though his heart had been wrenched from his body. He groaned and drew Draco into a helpless kiss. Draco's tears fell on Harry's lips, causing him to hold Draco protectively. Harry felt his magic pulsing through him. His wings ripped out of his school robes and clenched around Draco, hiding him from everyone.

Draco felt slight relief as Harry held him without inhibition. He felt Harry's soft feathers curling around him. Draco tried to bury himself into Harry, wanting to escape. But the pain was becoming unbearable. He pulled his lips away from Harry's, gritting his teeth. Harry couldn't feel any of Draco's pain because Draco's mind was stubbornly closed. He knew Draco was trying to protect him the same way he was trying to protect Draco.

"It's okay to be scared, Draco. I am too," Harry said, kissing Draco's clammy hand. "I just want you to know that – I will fight for you and I love you."

Draco nodded silently, tears streaming down his face.

"You have to fight for us too, Draco. You have to fight against Voldemort's darkness. He can be very – persuasive. I know. But I also know that you are strong, Draco. I will destroy Voldemort before he can do _anything_ to you. I said I'd never let you leave. You believe me, don't you?" Harry asked, looking into Draco's steely eyes.

"Yes," Draco breathed. "I have to go, Harry. If I don't, I don't know what – I don't want to lose control. I want to go on my own accord. Not because _he_ wants me to go. It already feels like I am under the Imperius Curse. I don't want to blindly obey the filthy Dark magic in me. I love you, and I'm coming back," he finished strongly, wanting to believe every word he said.

Harry gulped down his tears and nodded. They kissed briefly, memorizing each other's lips. They gazed into each other's faces for a moment, embedding it into their minds. Harry pulled back his wings slowly, letting go of Draco. Draco felt a little stronger now and his mind was becoming clearer. He took a deep breath before walking out of the Great Hall, followed closely by Professor Snape's sweeping steps.

Harry retracted his wings, watching the doors shut in front of him. He had the presence of mind to calm the room with his thoughts. The almost hysterical noises in the hall quieted down to a low buzz. Harry took a moment to collect his thoughts before he turned around and walked back to his table. All eyes were still on Harry and his pale face.

Harry felt his scar burn again. This time he was prepared. He steeled himself and closed his eyes, frozen on the spot. He let the pain wash over him, supporting himself using his wild magic. His mind went blank as it shifted into Voldemort's.

"Harry! What's wrong?" Ginny asked, rushing towards Harry's still, pained figure. He didn't answer.

"Ron!" Ginny hissed, snapping Ron out of his shock. He scrambled out of his seat and ran towards Harry. He put his hands on Harry's shoulders, gently shaking him.

"Hey, Harry, what's wrong?"

"I'm trying to see," Harry murmured, his face screwed into a mask of pain and concentration.

Ron hastily withdrew his hands, watching Harry move into Voldemort's mind. The other students were starting to move towards the Gryffindors, trying to make out what was happening with Harry.

Professor Dumbledore waded through the sea of students, moving towards Harry. The heads of houses quickly followed, trying to calm the agitated crowd. As soon as Dumbledore stopped in front of the boy, Harry opened his eyes slowly. He looked solemnly at the Headmaster.

"He'll be here tomorrow."

-x-


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

The Great Hall was emptying of first to sixth years. Prefects and Heads of Houses were asked to move the underage wizards to safety in their dormitories. The seventh years that wanted to help were making a loose crowd around the staff table. Professor Flitwick and Professor Babbling were charming all the windows and doors of the room, quickly moving down the hall and out of the doors. They were fortifying the castle as best as they could. Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout worked diligently on warding the grounds with protective spells and monstrous plants.

Harry was talking with Dumbledore, relaying everything he'd seen in his vision. The Dementors and werewolves could be staved off quite easily. However, the giants were unpredictable, savage creatures. Their immense strength and bodies were cause for concern. Dumbledore's biggest concern, and understandably so, was that Harry would _have_ to face Lord Voldemort during this battle in order to fulfill the prophecy. Harry was trying to not show his anxiety as he was keeping the crowd calm using his wild magic.

The rest of the seventh years were trying to review all of their defense spells, praying that they'd remember the most effective ones if the Death Eaters managed to get through the grounds. Hagrid had gone into the Forbidden Forest, hoping to talk with the elusive centaurs about guarding the gates. He was also setting all the creatures from his class loose. The Ministry had started to send in Aurors through Dumbledore's Floo Network. The students were relieved to see them stride into the Great Hall with confidence.

Harry smiled appreciatively at the sight of the Order filing into the hall. Remus pulled him into a short hug before turning to Dumbledore for more instructions. Harry saw Molly and Arthur conversing with Ron. Mad-Eye Moody and Kingsely Shacklebot were consulting the staff about what was to be done to ensure the safety of the students who were hiding in the castle.

Harry felt Hermione tugging at his robe. "We need to teach them some good spells. I need you," she whispered, pointing at the fidgeting students who were feeling out of place in the bustling hall.

Harry nodded and moved away from Remus. He had trepidations on how he'd be received when he joined the group. But his fears were unheeded because once everyone saw him arriving, they gave him their undivided attention. He motioned for them to follow him to the isolated corner of the room, so they could talk without being a nuisance to the others.

He cleared his throat nervously. "I need you to find partners, no one is going to fight alone. You must be protected from all sides. I suppose we should begin with the shielding spell. Similar to Protego, there's an added element to it. This shielding spell will be more effective against the Dark spells. Move your wand like so and say _Protego horribilis_," he demonstrated.

A small blue shield appeared in front of him. The crowd nodded solemnly before breaking into groups and practicing. Harry looked at Hermione for some more information. She smiled and nodded encouragingly before helping Jordan with his shield. Harry walked through the students, knowing that most of them should be able to cast the spell. It was quite easy to make and only required a small burst of extra energy to cast.

"When – If you have to fight, I also need you to remember the Rennervate charm. It'll help bring around someone who has been stupefied. Same wand action as the Stupefy spell, but the incantation is _Rennervate_," Hermione taught each group.

They went over the usual set of spells – Impedimenta, Expelliarmus, Immobulus, Stupefy, and Petrificus totalus. Many of these spells were easy to remember and caused the same things to happen – immobilized the enemy.

"Shouldn't we be doing some damage to those scum too?" Theo asked quietly.

"Er… What kind of damage?" Harry asked uneasily.

"The kind they could do to us," Terry replied, receiving a few nods from the rest of the students.

"It's just that, if you use your energy to hurt them, you may not have enough to save yourselves," Harry explained.

"No harm in teaching us everything," Michael murmured.

Harry knew the consensus was that he needed to teach them other spells that didn't involve defense. He reluctantly started to talk about Flagrate, Incendio, and Furnunculus. However, it was not wise to have practical lessons on how to use these spells considering they would end up setting the Great Hall on fire. So Harry hoped that his explanations would be enough to help the students along when the time came. After a couple of hours of lessons, the students were called up to the front of the Hall again. It was already noon and the entire staff was present at the table.

Dumbledore gazed proudly at the young adults, wishing that times could be different. "It is _my_ honor to be standing in front of such brave youths as yourselves. Your noble goal to help protect Hogwarts is highly notable and appreciated. Rest assured, if you do not absolutely have to fight, you will not. You will be the last line of defense. If the enemy breaks through the Aurors and the staff, then, and only then, will you be asked to fight. I am deeply saddened that I have to speak in such blunt terms, but you must understand the seriousness of the issue. If you would rather not participate in the battle, there is no shame in it. This is not an obligatory task. But if you insist on helping, I wanted you to know that I am very proud of you and it is an honor to be teaching you," Dumbledore finished. The students nodded solemnly, some blushing while most others fidgeting.

"Now, the Aurors will be splitting you in four groups. Each group will be guarding the dorm rooms. If there is a need for you to fight, you will not stand alone," the Headmaster said, motioning the Order to help regulate the group.

Hagrid came pounding down the room, flushed with exhaustion. "They'll help," he gasped, bending down and putting his large hands on his knees, breathing deeply.

Dumbledore smiled at the news. Centaurs would be excellent sentry and could be posted at all entrances of the school. He quickly strode out of the hall, awaiting the army of centaurs.

"And Harry, I suggest you stick with us," Tonks said, thumping Harry's back. Harry smiled weakly. He knew that he would have to fight Voldemort alone, but he didn't know what he was supposed to do. He didn't know how his wild magic would help him defeat the Dark Lord. Most of all, he didn't know what the Dark Lord was doing to Draco.

-x-

Draco and Snape had Disapparated once outside of school grounds. Draco found himself in standing in front of the Malfoy Manor. He took a shuddering breath. The pain was decreasing as his proximity to Voldemort decreased. He knew he would need to shutter his mind. He started to mentally prepare himself for Voldemort's Legilimency. Snape walked purposefully towards the mansion, followed closely by Draco. Both faltered slightly when they saw the ranks of army that were lined up on the grounds. Most were Death Eaters or Spotters. Some werewolves were present. The Dementors were probably hiding out in the Forbidden Forest, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Snape knocked on the door and was promptly let in. Draco tried to keep an impassive expression his face as he walked through the main hallway and into the living room.

Lord Voldemort was sitting on the large stone chair, surrounded by his most powerful Death Eaters. Lucius and Narcissa were standing behind the chair, looking fearful. When Narcissa saw Draco enter, she dug her fingers into Lucius' arm. She had to mentally stop herself from running up to her son and pulling him into a warm and crushing embrace. Lucius was staring coldly at his son. Snape bowed low to the Dark Lord and Draco followed suit. He was no longer in pain, but he was trembling with anger and fear. He cleared his mind of all else except Voldemort.

"We attack at midnight," Voldemort said quietly, his smooth voice dripping with poison. Draco's breath hitched slightly before he consciously let it out.

"What are the plans of attack, my Lord?" Snape asked.

"We will start with the giants and trolls, trample all the wards that have been set around the grounds. The Dementors and werewolves will then enter. Destruction at that point will be inconceivable. Finally, if there is anyone remaining, the Death Eaters will enter the battle, finishing what we have started. And I get Potter," Voldemort relished the way his plan sounded out loud.

"Ah, yes, young Malfoy. I haven't forgotten about you, never fear. You will fight with us. Prove your loyalty to me. Because so far, I have found that you have only fear inside you. Fear does not make a good Death Eater, and I will soon teach you this," Voldemort said, looking sharply at Draco.

Draco flinched slightly at the words. He'd hoped that he could blend into the background, hopefully go unnoticed. But Voldemort seemed adamant on making him a worthy Death Eater. Draco shuddered inwardly at the thought. As preparations were underway, he made sure to follow Snape. He did not want to lose himself in the madness of the mansion. He treaded carefully, never giving Voldemort a reason to use him. He blatantly ignored the pleading looks his mother gave him or the angered looks his father shot at him. He wanted this to be over, and he wanted this to be over without him – or Harry – dead.

The mere size of the army took Draco's breath away. It easily outnumbered Hogwarts staff and students. Draco hoped that the Death Eaters were daft enough to not know how to use magic properly, but that was just wishful thinking. Voldemort would never allow his army to consist of ill-trained wizards and witches. Draco knew that the giants and trolls could be easily mastered using many protective charms. The Dementors gave him cause for concern. Although all the Aurors knew how to cast a Patronus, that would not be enough to make a hundred Dementors retreat. If Hogwarts was still standing after the first two torrents of attacks, Draco was not sure how long they could stand the third and largest wave. Another thought that kept popping into his head that he wanted to squash was one pertaining to Harry. Harry was supposed to fight Voldemort. Both were powerful, although Draco knew that Voldemort had no idea how much more powerful Harry had gotten over the year. Still, the scale could tip either way. Draco found himself thinking about Harry more often than not now that the day was coming to an end. He was afraid for Harry's safety. Harry may die the next day and Draco still hadn't figured out a way to prevent it.

-x-

Dumbledore looked at the gathered crowd gravely. "Five minutes to midnight."

Voldemort sneered at his army who had lined up along the Hogwarts wall. "Five minutes to midnight."


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

Harry felt the grounds trembling slightly from inside the castle. _The giants_, he thought, trying to peer out the windows. Centaurs were lined up along Hogwarts grounds. The Quidditch pitch and the lakeshore were filled with the trotting centaur army. Professor McGonagall seemed quite pleased with her handiwork. She was sure that none of the trolls would get in, and even if they did, they would not last long in the brambles that Professor Sprout had grown along the walls. The giants would have to be taken down by the centaurs. Harry was worried about the Dementors. He wasn't able to feel them yet, but he knew that Voldemort mentioned having a very large number of them at his disposal. The ground trembled again, interrupting Harry's thoughts.

"The walls are crumbling," Bellatrix said, grinning widely. "It's not even been two minute and the walls are already crumbling!" she said louder.

Draco scowled at his aunt's amusement. The giants were throwing themselves against the large stonewalls, trying to force their way into the grounds. The trolls stood behind them, waiting for a path to clear up. Draco pulled closer to his godfather, hoping his mind would eventually let go of his fear. Stones were starting to fall around the giants and the wall was starting to give way. Voldemort was silently delegating using his wand as his method of directing. The Dark Lord knew that pain was always a catalyst and led to progress, however messy the path was. True to his ideals, the wall started to fall beneath the giants' feet.

Dumbledore closed his eyes briefly. "They've made it through the walls," said quietly.

_Already_? Harry thought. It had hardly been ten minutes. He frowned with concern and bit his lip. He was preparing himself for the next round of assault. It came soon enough. The battle cry of the centaurs reached Harry's ears, causing his hair on his neck to rise up. The ground was shaking fiercely now as the giants and trolls ran into the grounds.

The centaurs were skilled with their arrows and laid waste to the first row of giants. However, overwhelmingly, more appeared, pushing the centaurs back towards the castle. Most of the trolls were slowly disappearing into the thorny brambles that lined the grounds. Harry shut his mind tightly, not wanting to feel any of the anguish that was being emitted from the battlefield. Harry could now see the giants looming ahead and the centaurs shooting arrows at them liberally. As the last giant fell onto the greenhouse, Harry felt the despair flowing through everyone. The Dementors were coming.

"Hmm… Centaurs. Quite a primitive method of defense, isn't it Professor Dumbledore?" Voldemort mused to himself before setting the Dementors free.

Draco felt himself drowning in the midst of the Dementor army floating above him. The feeling quickly passed when the Dementors crossed into the grounds, scattering the centaurs. As one, the centaurs bounded towards the Forbidden Forest, staying as far away from the Dementor cloud as possible.

Dumbledore grimly nodded and opened the main door to the castle. The Aurors stepped out, brandishing their wands at the impending danger. As one, they let their Patronuses flow out of their wands and towards the floating Dementors. Many scattered as the silver mist hovered over Hogwarts. Dumbledore's phoenix was flying uninhibited through the hooded creatures and Tonk's and Remus' werewolves were running through the fallen Dementors. Shacklebot's lynx and Professor McGonagall's cat laced through the sky, picking out single Dementors. Harry watched from inside the castle as the Aurors started dispelling the Dementor army from the sky. He could feel the Aurors becoming desperate, as the flow of the hooded creatures was not ebbing. Harry knew that he would have to intervene. He remembered his lessons with Remus.

He stepped out of the castle, letting his wild magic flow through him. "_Expecto Patronum_" he yelled forcefully, letting the wild magic in him flow out of his wand. He thought of his memories of his parents, his friends, and Draco. He let all his happiness and hope flow out of him, wanting it to spread to the Aurors. He let his wings rip through his robe. He was glad that he no longer had to suppress any of Sirius' magic. Now was finally a time when he could let go. His muscles were trembling with power and he felt his senses sharpening. His Patronus flew out of his wand, breaking into several strands. A large troop of shimmering, silver stags galloped towards the dark cloud.

Draco saw the sky shine with silver light. Voldemort growled in anger when he saw the Dementors escaping the crowd of Patronuses that were pushing them away. The silver animals were moving towards the Death Eaters, never faltering. Harry had helped manipulate the Aurors' feelings, giving them torrents of happiness, helping them strengthen their spells. When Draco made out the large group of stags galloping above him, he couldn't help but smile proudly. The Death Eaters were cowering against the force of the Patronuses.

One of the stags stopped midway through its stride and looked down at the crowd, searching. When it found what it was looking for, it flew downwards, eliciting shouts of fear from some of the Death Eaters. It stopped in front of Draco and nuzzled his neck before galloping back up towards the Dementors. Voldemort narrowed his eyes, staring menacingly at Draco. Draco's teary smile faltered into a grimace as he felt Voldemort pushing into his mind.

"My Lord, please," Narcissa pleaded as she watched her son fall to his knees, holding his head in his hands. Lucius pulled Narcissa back. Draco felt the pain coursing through his head as Voldemort tried to force himself into Draco's mind. Draco tried to clear his mind of everything. He gasped with pain and tears ran down his face as he felt his resolve weaken. "Please," he whimpered through gritted teeth.

"What are you hiding from me, boy?" Voldemort asked roughly, cursing Draco with a short spell of Crucio. That was all he needed to do because once Draco felt the pain running through his body, his mind flew open, letting in Voldemort's conscience. The Dark Lord looked visibly startled when he looked through Draco's memories. It was riddled with Harry. More importantly, it was riddled with Draco's love for Harry.

"You miserable filthy scum," Voldemort spat, staring furiously at Draco's curled body. "You dare hide _this_ from me?" he roared, putting Draco under another bout of the Cruciatus curse.

Draco wanted to die. He felt the pain in both his mind and his body. He trashed on the ground, screaming in agony. _I'm so sorry, Harry_.

-x-

Harry heard a pounding in his mind. He gasped and threw open his door, catching Draco in his arms.

'_He knows,'_ Draco breathed before fainting.

Harry stumbled towards Dumbledore. His throat was closing up with fear as he pulled the Headmaster's arm.

"Please, Voldemort found out about Draco. We – I have to go," Harry said, tensing his wings together and shooting up into the night sky. He heard shouts following him, but he paid no attention as he soared towards the crumbling walls. He saw the bodies strewn across the grounds, centaurs and giants alike. He steeled himself against the sadness and helplessness he was feeling. He took a deep breath, flying faster towards the large army of Death Eaters. In the centre of the crowd, he saw Voldemort shouting angrily at the twisted figure on the ground. Harry's heart jumped to his throat when he made out the figure to be Draco.

-x-

"I'll deal with this scum. You attack!" Voldemort roared. The Death Eaters roared in agreement and rushed onto the grounds.

Dumbledore saw the large torrents of werewolves and Death Eaters rushing towards them. "Ladies and gentlemen, it's been an honor," he said eloquently before rushing out to meet the Dark side. The Aurors screamed battle cries as they followed Albus into the field.

The grounds were soon filled with curses shooting from hundreds of wands. Cries of pain filled the air and the metallic smell of blood filled everyone. Aurors made commendable dents in the army of Death Eaters, easily cutting through them using powerful curses. Dumbledore himself was quite a spectacular sight. Unconscious and frozen bodies surrounded him and he didn't look the least bit ruffled. The Aurors and staff were highly encouraged by Dumbledore's strength and they renewed their shouts, protecting the Hogwarts castle with their lives.

-x-

Harry shot back down to the ground, landing in front of Draco. The remaining Death Eaters gasped at the sudden appearance of the angelic man. Voldemort stumbled backwards at the sight of Harry. He frowned slightly before smoothing his face into a sneer. "So it's true. The Boy-Who-Lived has _wings_…" he said, motioning for the Death Eaters to put away their wands.

Harry let his wings spread majestically around him, hiding Draco's unconscious body from Voldemort's gaze.

"Impressive, Potter," Voldemort spat out. "Unfortunately, your precious need to love has once again delivered you into my hands," he continued, quickly cursing Harry with the Curciatus curse.

Harry gasped at the pain flowing through him, but he used his wild magic to isolate the curse, pushing it away in his head. He panted slightly, but never broke his stare. Voldemort frowned deeply now, redoubling his efforts. Harry snapped out his wand and shouted, "_Expelliarmus_." Voldemort easily countered the spell, his face still pulled into a baffled expression.

"Potter, still using childish charms, are you?" Voldemort sneered. He looked slightly perturbed that the Unforgivable curse hadn't hurt Harry. "Just remember this, Potter. In the end, love is what killed you. _Avada Kedavra_," he yelled, pointing the wand at Harry's chest.

In an instant, Harry was up in the air, successfully avoiding the green curse that flew and hit one of the Death Eaters. He quickly swooped back down, enveloped Draco in his arms and started flying towards the castle. Voldemort's frustrated roars still rang in his ear as he stumbled to a halt in the main foyer. The battle had yet to reach that far. He hunted down Madam Pomfrey's white robe amidst the crowd in the hallway.

"Draco needs help," Harry said breathlessly. He felt Draco's heart fluttering against his hand weakly. "Voldemort used the Cruciatus and I don't know how long he's been under," he spoke rapidly, watching Madame Pomfrey nod. "I – I have to go now. But if he wakes up, just tell him that – tell him I'll be back, okay?" he looked desperately at Draco.

"Just place him on one of the empty beds, Harry. I'll take care of him," the nurse said soothingly.

Harry walked into the hospital wing and gently put Draco down on a mattress. He kissed Draco's wet cheeks. "You know I love you, right?" Harry whispered, hoping he got a reply. Draco was silent, unmoving. Harry kissed him softly one more time before leaving.

-x-


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

By the time Harry left the hospital ward, he saw the a few Death Eaters had managed to enter the castle. He heard frenzied shouts and curses flying as he raced down the stairs. He saw some seventh year students fighting along side the staff and some Aurors. The Death Eaters were trying to force their way through the crowd, using every spell they could manage to cast. Harry put his shield up, throwing the Death Eaters back and keeping the others safe. He pushed his shield out with a forceful thrust. The invisible barrier was pushing the stunned Death Eaters back until they were shoved against the wall. With one sweep of his wand, Harry rendered them unconscious before running out of the castle to help the Aurors on the Quidditch field.

Harry fought his way through the Death Eaters and found Fred and George fighting back to back. They grinned maliciously when they saw Harry. Harry nodded quickly as he sent out silent Petrificu totalus charms and fierce Diffindo curses. He saw Albus Dumbledore and a crowd of Aurors moving towards the edges of the grounds, falling a great number of werewolves and Death Eaters as they passed. Remus and Tonks were fighting by the lake, throwing Expulso spells and Flagrate curses with reckless abandon. Harry saw Molly and Arthur moving through the bodies, quickly reviving the frozen ones or moving the injured ones.

The seventh year students had now abandoned their posts from the dorm rooms and were fighting in the front lines. Harry saw forty-odd students shielding the castle doors and themselves with Protego. Hermione and Blaise were directing them, occasionally shooting a rowdy Impedimenta at the Death Eaters. Soon, the steps leading up to the main doors were riddled with unconscious and bloody bodies of Death Eaters. Professor Sprout quickly whisked away the injured students to the Hospital Wing despite loud protests. But the wall of students held strong.

"Harry," Percy's terrified voice called out. Harry looked his way. Percy was staring at the pale figure that was rapidly closing in. Lord Voldemort had entered the battle.

Harry flew out to meet Voldemort, enveloping them in another invisible barrier so that the Dark Lord would not be able to harm anyone but him. The Death Eaters who were following Voldemort were thrown backwards by the force of the shield. The Dark Lord didn't look surprised by this. He quickly whipped out his wand, throwing an Imperius curse at Harry. Harry countered it using a strong Protego horribilis.

Harry immediately cursed him with Incendio. Voldemort cast a Flame-freezing charm on himself, snickering at Harry. Harry threw a frustrated Diffindo at his opponent. Voldemort was surprised when it cut into his shoulder. He hissed with pain before sending a strong Curcio at Harry. Harry stumbled at the force, clearly winded. He struggled with the pain for a brief moment before straightening up. Voldemort had healed himself, and was now casting the killing curse at Harry.

Harry panicked and silently thought of the first spell that came into his mind – Sectumsempra. Before Voldemort could finish his spell, he was slashed by Harry's wand. He felt his chest heaving with pain as he watched the blood soaking through his dark robes and splashing on the ground. He roared as he felt his skin searing with agony. Harry watched in horror when Voldemort fell to the ground, heaving. The Dark Lord was losing his grip on his mind and it was slowly leaking pain and hate. Harry stumbled backwards when he felt Voldemort's anger and torture rushing through him. He felt nauseous when his mind was suddenly assaulted with hate, confusion, and fury. He fell to ground too, willing his wild magic to shut his mind from Voldemort. But their bond was too strong to be broken by the Sirius' magic. Harry's scar on his forehead was ripping open as he screamed with pain. He felt the thick warm blood flowing down his face. Voldemort was dying and Harry could feel his every emotion.

The battle outside the shield Harry had created was starting to die down when the Death Eaters felt their strength faltering. Confusion reigned as some of Voldemort's army fled the overpowering Aurors and students. The loud cheers echoing from Hogwarts quickly turned into shouts of concern. They'd just noticed Harry and Voldemort in the middle of the pitch, surrounded by unconscious Death Eaters. Fred and George were trying to push through. Remus was banging against the shield, trying to catch Harry's attention.

"Harry, let me in!" he screamed.

Dumbledore was trying all the spells in his capacity to break Harry's shield. Ron and Hermione stared in horror as they watched Voldemort and Harry struggle to stay alive. They watched desperately as Voldemort lay on the ground, bleeding profusely and Harry was on all fours, trying to keep his mind from collapsing.

But Harry couldn't feel anyone else. His mind was filled with Voldemort. With one last burst of energy, Harry pushed Voldemort out of his mind. Through his bleary eyes, he saw Voldemort flying up into the barrier, hitting it with such a force that when he fell back to the ground, his head was lolling in an unusual angle. Harry stared in disbelief. Voldemort was dead… Harry felt his magic faltering as he finally succumbed to his pain.

-x-

Harry felt like he was floating. He was free from all his burdens and now he was floating. He sighed contently, but a gentle tug in his mind caused him to frown. He was forgetting something. Something important. He opened his eyes and looked around, searching. He was floating against the night sky and down below was the meadow. A gentle breeze was rolling through the grass, causing waves of movement.

He felt another tug, this time on his wings. He whipped around, looking for the source. At that instant he felt himself falling. His stomach dropped. He opened his mouth to scream, but silenced himself when he fell backwards onto a soft bed. He gathered his wits and cautiously got up, looking around the room. He was in the Room of Requirements. He was alone.

"Draco," he croaked, his heart hardening. He called again, louder, hoping Draco was merely hiding. That's when he heard the knock on the door. Harry sprinted to it, wrenching it open. He laughed brightly as Draco pulled him into a tight embrace.

"I missed you," Harry said, breathing in Draco's cologne. "I missed you so much," he sighed, looking up at Draco's smiling face.

"I know you love me, Harry," Draco said, pushing his soft lips against Harry's. Harry felt tears spilling from his eyes. Harry held on to Draco for a long while, never wanting to let go. He laid his head on Draco's shoulder, kissing his neck softly.

"I was so scared for you, Draco. When I saw him torturing you. This is all my fault! Are you alright?" Harry asked.

"I am, but I don't think you are, Harry," Draco said sorrowfully.

Harry frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked, pulling away to look at Draco.

"Why aren't you waking up?" Draco asked dejectedly.

"I – I – What?" Harry asked confused.

"You have to wake up, Harry," Draco said quietly, letting go of Harry's waist. Harry scrambled to put his arms around Draco's neck. Draco gently pried them away, holding Harry's hands in his.

"Don't go," Harry rasped, his chest heaving with sadness.

"I won't if you don't," Draco said, walking backwards. He smiled one last time before walking out the door, shutting it firmly behind him.

Harry ran behind him, trying to open the door. He found it locked. Harry crumpled to the floor, his shoulders heaving with loud sobs. He didn't understand. Where was he?

-x-

Draco felt himself returning to his body. He breathed in deeply, ignoring the sharp bursts of pain that followed the movement. He opened his eyes, squinting against the morning sun. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth and his body was aching.

"He's awake!" Blaise's shout caused Draco to flinch. He turned his head in time to see Blaise's grinning face. It was quickly replaced with his mother's. Draco uttered a strangled cry before cringing away. He was surprised when Narcissa fondly brushed his hair from his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Draco," Narcissa said quietly, tears running down her elegant face. Draco frowned, his mind filling with confusion.

"Where –" he started saying, but couldn't finish because his throat was scratchy and parched.

"You're at Hogwarts, Draco. And you're safe. We're all safe," Narcissa said, smiling thorough her tears.

"Good," Draco murmured, feeling drowsy now that he knew that he was safe. He closed his eyes, trying to remember how he'd gotten there. He remembered Voldemort being angry with him for something. He was on the ground and the pain was unbelievable. And then… Someone stopped the pain. The angel… Harry.

Draco's eyes shot open and he tried to sit up. "Mum, Harry?" he asked, heaving with pain.

Narcissa looked startled at her son's sudden movements. "I – uh. We don't know yet, Draco," she said forlornly.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his heart quaking with fear.

"He fought very bravely, Draco. But it was too much –" Narcissa broke off when she saw his son's pained expression. "He's still alive," she added quickly, wanting to ease her son's worries.

"But –" Draco murmured, tears falling from his eyes. "But Voldemort is dead, so that means Harry has to live, right?" he asked vehemently.

"Yes, Draco," his mother soothed him.

"Good," Draco said, tired from the pain and emotion. He let his eyes close once more. "I promised him I'd come back. So I'll just wait here," he muttered, falling into a deep sleep.

-x-


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

Harry sank down on the bed, staring up at the canopy. He was spent from crying. He knew that he had defeated Voldemort. He knew that Draco was alive. So why was he alone? He tried to think of ways to wake up from this dream. _But it doesn't even feel like a dream_.

He dozed off for a while, exhausted from his encounter with Draco. He was floating again. He opened his eyes and looked down to see the meadow. It was no longer nighttime. The sky was tinged pink as the sun started to rise. He gently floated down and sat on the ground. He pulled his knees up against his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs. He took in the warm breeze and to faint scent of flowers. _If only Draco were here_.

He yelped when his scar on his wrist burned. He rubbed it fiercely, trying to get rid of the pain. But it didn't leave; it started to creep into his heart, threatening to burst out. Harry sighed and let the magic out. He didn't have the strength anymore. He felt the grass fluttering around him as the magic pulled at them. The flowers and trees started to grow. Harry's wings spread out around him then hugged him tightly. Harry sighed as he let his magic course through him. It helped him forget his fears. It helped him heal.

He heard soft laughter near his ear, but he couldn't be bothered to look. He was feeling so calm, so peaceful. There was that feeling again. Peace… _I guess it's real this time_, Harry thought vaguely. Harry felt his wings moving on their own accord, unfolding from around him and pushing him up forcefully. His body went limp as his wings carried him away.

-x-

"Hi," Harry croaked, looking at Draco's sleeping face. Draco was sitting on the chair and leaning forward onto Harry's bed, resting his head against Harry's arm. He was snoring softly but Harry wanted to wake him up. He wanted to know that Draco was real this time. Harry moved his tired arm and touched Draco's cheek.

"Mmph, Harry?" Draco mumbled, grabbing the hand that was resting on his face. He blinked once and then his eyes grew wide when he saw Harry's smiling face. "Harry," he breathed, stumbling out of his chair. "He's awake," Draco yelled, not knowing whether to find someone or whether to stay with Harry.

"Oh, he's awake," Draco cried, tears running down his flushed cheeks. He pulled himself in bed with Harry, showering him with kisses and hugs. Harry let the relief flood through him. He let Draco hold him close, enjoying the warmth. He let Draco run his hand through Harry's hair, feeling the giddy rush of being so close to him.

The room was quickly filling with people. Ron and Hermione were holding Harry's hands, squeezing it tight. Remus and Tonks were smiling widely. The Weasley family somehow managed to squeeze in, chattering excitedly. Albus Dumbledore was laughing with Harry, letting the job fill the room. "It's good to have you back, Harry," he said, the twinkle returning in his eye.

"I really need some water, Draco," Harry whispered into Draco's shoulder. Draco jumped out of bed, fetched a glass and used the Aguamenti charm. He handed it to Harry, who took it with shaky hands. As the cool water hit his throat, he moaned with relief. This was real. He'd finally woken up.

-x-

Hogwarts was in ruins. Or at least the grounds and the entrance hall were destroyed. Most of the damage had been done to Voldemort's army. The centaurs sustained heavy casualties as well, but they were soon taken care of under Dumbledore's orders. Families of the students of Hogwarts were coming in, all wanting to make sure that the children were alive and well. None of the students sustained any permanent damage. Neville had a broken leg, Daniel had a burned chest, and a few of the Ravenclaw were on the receiving end of a poorly aimed Stinging Hex. But Madame Pomfrey patched them all up in record time. The Hospital Wing was filled with injured Aurors now, but St. Mungo's was starting to slowly transport them to their hospital. Professor Sprout's greenhouses were ruined and she was none to happy about it. Hagrid's cabin needed to be rebuilt and the Quidditch pitch was strewn with bodies and blood.

Voldemort was dead. The news was difficult to take in after Harry had returned to his senses. There was no one who wanted him dead. Harry wanted to jump for joy at the thought. But at the moment, all he could do was grin widely because Draco hadn't let go of him since he'd woken up. Apparently Harry had been unconscious for a day and a half. He supposed that excused Draco's over-protective behavior. The reopened scar on his head had healed. He knew he'd never have to feel it burn again. He touched it unconsciously, tracing it with his fingers. Draco was lying on the hospital bed with Harry, leaning against the headboard. Harry was lying next to Draco, his head on Draco's chest. He pushed up to look at Draco.

"Draco, you visited me in my dreams. Did you know that?" Harry asked, pulling up and leaning his head against Draco's shoulder.

"No, I didn't," Draco murmured, running his hand along Harry's stomach.

"You asked me to wake up. You said that you wouldn't leave if I didn't. So I came back," Harry reminisced.

"I'm glad," Draco said, kissing Harry's neck.

"Me too," Harry whispered to himself. "Everything is better now, isn't it?"

"Everything is amazing now, Harry," Draco said, smiling into Harry's hair.

-x-

"Fuck, I'm going to kill you, Potter!" Draco screeched, running after Harry's sprinting figure.

"It was just a joke!" Harry yelled back, redoubling his efforts to get away from Draco.

"No one's fucking laughing," Draco shouted, jumping forward to tackle Harry. Harry landed on the grass with a groan, as he felt winded. Draco twisted Harry around so he faced Draco's furious face.

Harry was laughing between his breaths. Draco was a sight. Harry had used the Color-change charm on Draco's hair. Thanks to Hermione's variation of it, Draco didn't even notice it when he looked in the mirror in the morning. The Slytherins hadn't mentioned a word to him regarding his ridiculous appearance. When he arrived for breakfast, the looks on everyone's faces when they saw Draco was priceless. Blaise was _now_ kind enough to point out to Draco that his hair was shockingly pink. No one had ever before dared prank Draco on April Fool's Day, so the only suspicious candidate was Harry, who had been trying furiously to hide his guilty smirking face.

Before Draco could figure out what horrifyingly embarrassing things he could do to Harry as payback, Harry had sprinted out of the Great Hall, followed by encouraging shouts from his Gryffindor friends. Draco's loud snarl caused the Great Hall to burst out into heaving laughter. He raced after Harry and now found himself in this predicament.

"How _dare_ you!" Draco said fiercely, pinning Harry's arms down above him.

Tears were running down Harry's face as he gave up trying to talk. Draco's hair appeared even pinker than expected, especially when coupled with his pale face. "The color suits you, Draco," Harry gasped.

Draco made a sound of immense frustration before pulling out his wand and eyeing Harry nastily. That sobered Harry right up. Now he was staring at Draco's wand hypnotically. "Er… You should probably put that away, Malfoy," Harry stuttered, catching the evil glint in Draco's eye.

"Why?" he asked, now pointing the wand at Harry's chest.

"You don't want to do something you regret," Harry replied.

"Oh, I won't regret this, I assure you," Draco said, his smile dripping with sweetness. "_Obscuro_," he said, nonchalantly. A black blindfold appeared on Harry's eyes.

"Fuck, Draco. What are you doing?" Harry cried, writhing his body and trying to throw Draco off. Draco was silent. Harry started to panic. He didn't do dark very well. "Draco, seriously! Whatever it is you want to do to me, just get it over with. I can't stand this!" Harry said, cringing at the thought of Draco's spell hitting him.

"_Rictusempra_," Draco muttered with amusement. Harry's mouth opened for a scream but it was quickly overtaken by laughter. Draco was bucked off as Harry furiously reached for his blindfold and tried to grab his wand. He rolled over, his stomach cramping from the tickles grew insistently softer and more rapid. Harry curled up in a ball, laughing and crying at the sensations running through his body. Draco watched with pleasure for a few minutes. Once Harry's insistent shouts started to bother him, he muttered, "_Finite Incantatem_," before walking away, leaving a hysterical Harry on the ground.

He quickly changed his hair color back to the original platinum blond state before returning to the Great Hall. He glared furiously when the conversations stopped as he walked in. Quiet giggles passed through the tables as he shoved Blaise to the side and took his seat.

Blaise was shaking his head. "You're such a bad sport, Malfoy. What did you do with Potter?"

"Fuck Potter. I left him outside after I tickled him to death," Draco said with relish as he took his piece of toast and buttered it lavishly.

"Real mature, Malfoy," Pansy and Theo droned in unison.

A few minutes later, Harry staggered into the Great Hall, his chest heaving and his clothes askew. His cheeks were flushed and his hair had bits of grass still stuck in it. He glared furiously at Draco's smug face before snubbing him and walking over to the Gryffindor table. The giggles arose anew as they watched the two boys frowning into their breakfasts.

Ron was slapping his knee, laughing his head off. "What did he do?" he asked incredulously, seeing Harry slip into his seat unsteadily.

"He used Rictusempra," Harry muttered furiously.

"Brilliant," Hermione chimed in, keeping her amused giggles at bay.

"No! Not really!" Harry claimed, turning to Hermione. She started picking out the dry grass out of Harry's wild hair.

"It _is_ April Fool's Day. And you _did_ get him first," Lavender reasoned, looking up from her bread and jam.

"I fucking hate being tickled. And he knows it," Harry grumbled, pouring himself some orange juice.

"You should've thought about the consequences before you came to me for help," Hermione said, winking at Ron.

"I thought he'd take it in stride, you know," Harry said, reasoning with himself.

The whole table looked at Harry in disbelief. "Malfoy? Yeah, right."

-x-


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

Draco and Harry stumbled into the Room of Requirements, kissing fervently and tugging at the hindering robes. Draco wrenched his robe off in one smooth move, never breaking his kiss. He grabbed Harry's shoulders, trying to help him untangle the sleeve. "This isn't going fast enough," Draco mumbled, pushing Harry backwards. He attacked Harry's neck, wrenching a moan out of the brunette, who had finally managed to untangle himself and throw his robe away. Draco pulled up Harry's shirt, accidentally brushing his hand against Harry's stomach. Harry broke their kiss to gasp, giving Draco enough time to tug the shirt off of him. Harry unbuttoned Draco's shirt, fumbling with his overactive fingers. Draco was now nibbling on Harry's earlobes and running his hands down Harry's smooth back. When Harry's hands touched Draco's chest, he shivered with excitement. Draco quickly pulled out his hands out of his sleeves and went back to embracing Harry. They'd finally reached their bed and Harry tumbled backwards, pulling Draco onto him.

Draco was passionately kissing Harry's body, never resting. Their breaths were ragged and their arousals were brushing against each other. Harry quickly undid Draco's pants, shoving it away vehemently. Draco smirked into Harry's shoulder, giving it a small nip before undoing Harry's jeans. Harry squirmed and groaned, "You're right, this isn't going fast enough!" He gasped when Draco took his hardened cock in his mouth, sucking it luxuriously. He bucked into Draco unconsciously, which cause the blond to suck hard to stop from gagging. Harry cried out as he felt Draco's muscles contracting around him.

"Draco, I want you."

Draco smiled softly as he nudged his finger into Harry. Harry felt Draco's finger entering him and he tried to relax. Draco was still licking Harry's cock slowly, which caused his to moan with pleasure. Draco slowly inserted his second finger into Harry's tight sphincter. Harry felt the slight burn, but he wanted more. He growled with anticipation as Draco stretched him. Draco sucked deeply one last time before pulling himself up to Harry's lips. Harry groaned as he felt Draco's lips crush his with fervor.

"Please."

Draco positioned himself in between Harry's legs. He lifted Harry's hips slightly and slowly pushed in. Harry clenched as he felt the intrusion pressing against his opening. Draco ran his hands lightly down Harry's thighs, getting him to relax. Harry closed his eyes and willed himself to breathe. Draco pushed in further, this time moving past Harry's first ring of muscles. Harry hissed with pain, but Draco's hands were now rubbing Harry's hard arousal. He moaned with ecstasy as Draco brushed his finger over Harry's foreskin. Draco pushed into Harry again, almost collapsing onto Harry when he felt his cock being squeezed by Harry's muscles.

"Fuck, I need you so bad…"

Harry cracked his eyes open and smiled at Draco's tone, moving forward and pushing Draco in. Draco gasped as he felt Harry's heat clenching him. He couldn't stop himself – he impaled Harry all the way in his passion. Harry cried out in pain while Draco moaned with passion. He shifted and moved into Harry swiftly. Harry's head was swimming with aggression, lust, and love. He felt Draco moving inside him, filling him to the brim. The pain was growing and Draco's desire enveloped Harry. Draco pushed deeper still, his hands supporting his weight as he watched Harry's contorted face. He knew he had hurt Harry, but he didn't want to stop. Harry felt Draco's confusion and opened his teary eyes. He leaned up for a deep kiss, letting Draco know that he was okay. Draco filled Harry with all the love he could give, moving slowly against Harry's body. Harry willed his body to calm down and he closed his eyes lightly. Harry ran his hands down Draco's back, feeling his muscles moving against the strain.

"Oh!"

Harry threw his eyes wide open when he was jolted. He looked wondrously at Draco, who'd noticed Harry's surprise. He smiled roguishly before pushing into Harry, causing him to jerk again. Harry's eyes rolled back into his head as the heat spread from his arousal to his limbs. Draco grinded against Harry, causing him to shout with rapture. Harry was blindly clutching the bed sheets as he saw his sight flickering. His stomach clenched tightly and his legs twitched. He was whimpering Draco's name, throwing his head to the side. Draco was now steadily bumping into Harry's prostate, enthralled by the noises Harry was making. Draco gently squeezed Harry's throbbing arousal, feeling Harry's muscles spasm around his own cock.

"I can't – I'm going – Fuck, Draco!"

Harry shuddered as he climaxed into Draco's hand. He screamed in passion, his hips bucking towards Draco. His back arched off the bed before slumping down in exhaustion. Harry clenched his muscles rapidly, feeling the climax move to his limbs. Draco pulled Harry into a kiss as he felt himself going over the edge. He pushed in one last time, making Harry buck sluggishly. He collapsed into Harry's arms, releasing himself. He groaned into the mattress as Harry continued to clench around him, his body refusing to stop twitching. Draco couldn't hear himself breathe because of the roar in his ears. Draco's limbs were aching from the strain and his head was fuzzy with bliss. Harry shifted slightly, gasping as Draco's cock rubbed his prostate again.

"Fuck, I'm gonna come again…"

Draco giggled hysterically as Harry convulsed under him, rasping Draco's name and pulling him into a tight embrace. Harry felt himself coming undone as Draco smothered him with kisses. After many long minutes, his body calmed down. Draco hadn't pulled out yet, but Harry didn't notice. They held each other lovingly, kissing softly. Harry finally felt his vocal ability coming back to him.

"Bloody hell, why'd we wait this long?" he asked, closing his eyes as Draco kissed Harry's jaw line.

"I didn't want to wait, remember?" Draco said, running his teeth over Harry's chin.

"R- right," Harry said, his body moving unconsciously. Draco took a sharp intake of air, feeling his cock getting hard. He bucked into Harry, causing another moan to erupt from the brunette.

"Harry, _stop moving_. I can't keep up with you," Draco mumbled into Harry's chest.

"I don't want to stop," Harry whined, pushing into Draco again. Draco's stomach burst with butterflies as he felt heat gather at his groin.

"Harry, you're driving me crazy."

Harry smiled devilishly at Draco's pained face. He flipped Draco under him, straddling him easily. Draco shouted in surprise and ardor as Harry started to move around him. Harry drove Draco in deeper, causing him to squirm. Harry yelped as Draco's cock dug into his prostate. He almost fell off of Draco as the blond bucked swiftly into him. Draco grabbed Harry's hips in his hands and pushed it down. Harry's oversensitive body was already feeling the first wave of climax as Draco rammed into him. He supported himself by placing his hands on beside Draco's heaving shoulders and pushing into the mattress. He came again, followed shortly by Draco. They quivered weakly as they floated down from the clouds. Panting and shuddering, Harry looked down at Draco's blissful face. This time Draco made sure to pull out. He couldn't handle another session for a while. Harry slumped down on his stomach beside Draco, his body overcome with lethargy but his mind still reeling from his climax. He threw a heavy arm onto Draco's chest and pulled him close.

"Who knew make-up sex would be _this_ amazing…" Harry said quietly, marveling Draco's profile.

Draco smiled lazily, pulling Harry up so he could rest his head on Draco's shoulder. Harry kissed Draco lightly on his chest, feeling the fluttering heart beating under it.

"But if you use that godforsaken spell on me _ever_ again…" Harry muttered threateningly.

"You dyed my hair _pink_!"

"It's April Fool's. I'm supposed to do that…"

"_Potter_!"

"I love you too…"

-x-


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

"Dang these NEWTs! I just want to go to sleep…" Draco groaned, dropping his head on the table.

"Passing is quite important," Jordan mumbled, concentrating on his notes.

"But it's already past eleven," Ron said, rubbing his drowsy eyes.

"If you think you're ready to write the history exam, then you can go to sleep, Ron. But my guess is, you need at least another year to catch up on that," Blaise said, rolling his eyes. Hermione nodded fiercely.

Cho was quietly snoring on her book, Terry was hurriedly flipping through pages in his textbook and Hannah was frantically chewing on her lip, trying to decipher her handwriting. Harry marveled at how much had changed over the past months. He'd never seen students from all houses working together like this. In the face of adversity, like the darned History of Magic NEWT, Hermione thought it would be best if everyone pulled together. Strength in numbers, she'd said. And right now, the strength was dwindling, as everyone was either too irritated or too sleepy to study.

"I think Draco's right," Harry said loudly.

"Of course you do," Padma muttered, rolling her eyes. Parvati snickered beside her.

"What? It's true! We need to get some sleep. We'll start again tomorrow at six and then we'll have a good three more hours to review," Harry finished, packing up his bag. Sighs of relief drowned the angry mumbles of Hermione and Blaise.

"My hero," Draco said, throwing a sloppy kiss on Harry's lips.

"Get a room!" some of the Hufflepuffs shouted.

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet," Draco said devilishly. Harry backed away quickly.

"Er… I'll see you tomorrow!" he said, stumbling out of the library, followed by giggles.

-x-

"Can you believe it? We're done. We're going out into the real world now. This is the most terrifying day of my life," Harry said, clutching Draco's hand. The graduation ceremony had finished and they had one more night in Hogwarts before they boarded the train for home.

"Yeah, sure it is, Harry," Draco said sarcastically.

They were walking along the side of the lake. Harry was reminiscing about the battle, the changes, and the new life he now had. He was eternally grateful to Sirius for everything. Harry had a mansion to live in and more than enough money to live three times over. Sirius' magic was still enveloping him, bringing him comfort. Harry idly touched the ruby that was hidden under his shirt. The Minister of Magic had been stumbling over himself to offer Harry a job as an Auror. Draco had been pushing Harry to take the job, but Harry wanted to complete the three-year training first.

Teary farewells were said during the graduation ceremony. Harry knew that his final year at Hogwarts would go down in history as one of the most momentous occasions known to wizards and witches for years to come. The battle had helped pull everyone together. So leaving it all behind was even harder than it once would've been.

Harry wanted to take in as much as he possibly could. He wanted to embed the memories so deep in his mind that whenever he closed his eyes, he could see Hogwarts. He had tried, often. But all he saw when he closed his eyes was Draco – Draco's smooth smile, his roguish eyes, windswept hair, and soft embrace. Harry sighed. They hadn't talked about the summer yet and he knew it was about time they discussed their relationship. But before Harry could open his mouth, Draco interjected.

"Marry me?"

Harry stumbled to a halt.

"Yes."

Harry's heart fluttered at the spontaneous reply. He had never been so sure in his life. He saw Draco's smile grow wider as he stepped up to Harry and kissed him.

"Good," Draco said, muffled against Harry's lips. Harry smiled as he felt Draco's mind opening to fill him with love and happiness.

"Yes," Harry breathed.

-x-

**A/N: **Thanks to everyone for sticking with this! If you want me to elaborate on this chapter, let me know! I can always rework it. I just needed some closure, so I whipped this last bit up in an hour.


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

**A/N:** So I was on a care ride today. Halfway through, I realized that I didn't want to end this story this way. Would you guys mind terribly if I kept going? Okay, who am I kidding, of course you guys won't mind! But would you mind if I did terrible things to the characters?

-x-

Harry had settled down in 12 Grimmauld Place within a week after graduation. He didn't have many possessions to start with, so it wasn't difficult to move in. All he had were meager amounts of clothing and his books. Sirius' mansion was already filled with essentials and more. Harry had gone exploring the first few days, finding new and interesting nooks and hidden rooms in the oddest parts of the house. He had finally settled for a large room on the third floor, looking out over the top of the houses surrounding Grimmauld Place. Harry could see the sky and the tips of trees from the neighboring park from his window. He had his clothes neatly arranged in the large wardrobe and his small bed took up a corner of the room. Photographs were put up along one of the empty walls and the shelves were soon lined with books. Harry sighed with relief after he straightened out the last of his possessions – Hedwig. She was happily hooting away beside the window, eating her mice.

Draco had visited during the week to help Harry move. Or rather, he 'helped' Harry settle down. Whenever he was around, Harry inexplicably found himself in his bedroom, almost always naked. Finally, noticing how he never got anything done with Draco around, Harry had banned him from the mansion until the weekend. The weekend was here and Draco blew into the house, clamoring in the drawing room. Harry sauntered down the stairs, a smart comment at the tip of his tongue. His speech eluded him when he saw Draco kneeling on one knee at the bottom of the stairs, grinning widely.

"I thought it'd be best if we did this properly. What do you say?" Draco asked, tilting his head. His palm was upturned and two platinum rings settled neatly in it.

Harry smiled shyly. "I'd say yes," he said, slowly walking down the rest of the stairs and picking up one of the rings from Draco's hand. Draco stood up and reached for Harry's left hand. He reverently slipped the ring into Harry's shaky finger, bringing the hand up to kiss lightly. Harry did the same, his breath coming in shallow. Neither let go of each other's hands as they kissed softly.

Draco pulled away first, a cheeky smile gracing his flushed face. "So… Who should we shock first?"

-x-

"Wow, Harry, you really spruced this place up!" Hermione exclaimed, walking into Harry's house. Ron followed her into the drawing room, grinning at the sunlight that was filtering into the house. During Order of the Phoenix meetings, the windows were always shuttered and the mansion was musty. Now, Harry had managed to air it out, letting the fresh summer breeze fill the house. Draco slipped a hand around Harry's waist, looking proud.

"So, you guys ready to go?" Ron asked. He had trepidations about their first double date, but he was willing to give it a go at Hermione's insistence.

Harry took a deep calming breath and held out his hand. Draco mimicked him, watching the reaction of the two Gryffindors closely. Hermione staggered backwards, sitting heavily on the plush couch. She brought her eyes up to the two men, flabbergasted. She started giggling hysterically, covering her mouth with her hand.

"You guys! This is _wonderful_! I – " she chocked emotionally, feeling happy tears run down her face. "Wow…" she gasped.

Ron had turned white as a sheet. His mouth was wide open, as were his eyes. He looked back and forth from Harry to Draco to the rings. In one stride, he enveloped Harry into a big hug. "Oh my gosh!" he breathed. He let go of Harry. "Oh my gosh!" he said louder, looking wondrously at Hermione for a moment. "You – you're getting – _married_?" Ron squeaked.

Harry shrugged helplessly, blushing at his friends' reactions. Draco was smirking beside him, looking pleased with himself. That was probably why he yelped in shock when Ron dragged him into a hug too. Draco stumbled at the force with which Ron was squeezing him. He looked at Harry incredulously. Harry chuckled.

"Look after him, okay?" Ron whispered softy into Draco's ear so only he could hear it. Draco felt his cheeks flushing with warmth as Ron pulled away, grinning from ear to ear.

"So, how'd you do it?" Hermione asked.

"Well, he proposed last week after gra-"

"WHAT? And you waited until now to tell us?"

"Er…"

-x-

The news spread like wildfire. Photographers were perpetually hunting the couple down. Reporters were hounding them down to make statements. Draco's frustration was not a surprise to anyone.

"Welcome to my life, Malfoy," Harry said, rolling his eyes whenever Draco complained.

Letters were flowing in from ardent fans and fanatical stalkers alike. Friends and family were starting to drop by, almost always uninvited. Harry tried to play a good host to them, but Draco made sure not to hide his displeasure.

"Won't give us a moment of peace," Draco muttered.

"They're just happy for us," Harry reasoned.

"Can't they be happy for us in their own homes?" Draco replied.

Draco had moved in with Harry. The house was now artfully decorated with antiques and classy furniture. Image was very important to Draco and it extended to his house as well. Harry didn't mind. As long as he had a place to sleep and a table to eat at, he'd let Draco do whatever he wanted. Even if all he wanted to do was play a homemaker. The first time Harry used that word, Draco had pulled out his wand and hexed him with a Jelly-legs Jinx.

"Fuck you, Potter. Just because I don't want to live like a slob doesn't mean I'm your bloody homemaker."

Harry continued to use the term, enjoying the reactions he elicited from his fiancé. Draco even enjoyed dressing Harry up in his finest clothes.

"I don't want to seen outside with you if you're going to be wearing that god awful shirt with those jeans."

Harry would roll his eyes in exasperation as Draco picked out another outfit. Daily squabbles always seemed to end in sex. Neither man minded.

Both Harry and Draco were listed up to undergo Auror training. The rigorous procedure consisted of three years of intense physical and mental exhaustion. They were to start in two months. Harry sighed tiredly when he thought of the next three years of his life. Sure, the end product would be satisfying, but the way to get there required a lot of work. Work neither men were used to.

"At least I won't be doing this alone," Harry said, reading over the pamphlets and guidebooks. Draco nodded absently as he rushed through his readings. They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Draco hissed with frustration, throwing down his book and stomping to the drawing room. Harry groaned tiredly before pulling himself off of the chair and shuffling to the door.

"Harry, m'boy!" Remus said, striding up to Harry and pulling him into a warm hug.

"Remus! I haven't seen you in over a month!" Harry said.

"I know… I've been busy with Order business. But you didn't think I wouldn't drop by to congratulate you two, did you?" Remus grinned.

Harry laughed at Remus' excitement. "I suppose not," he said, motioning for Remus to sit on the couch.

"So, when's the wedding?"

Harry and Draco gaped at each other. "Wedding?" they said in unison.

Remus frowned with confusion. "Er… That's what I thought –"

"Fuck, we have to plan a wedding!"

-x-


	37. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

**A/N: **PLEASE DON'T HATE ME!

-x-

The next few months saw the couple making furious plans for their upcoming wedding. Along with Auror training, the nuptial arrangements took over their lives. During the days, they would be in the Ministry rooms, studying and practicing relentlessly. During the nights, they would in the dining room, fervently writing out details about the wedding venue, caterers, and music. Thanks to Draco's delegation, their friends were making progress with regards to invitations and decorations.

The plan was to have the wedding in spring of the following year, a mere ten months after they had been engaged. The date was starting to loom closer and closer. A hundred-odd people had RSVP'd already and they'd only invited fifty. It was to be held at the Malfoy Manor upon Narcissa's insistence. The large sloping hills behind the house were a perfect venue. Neither of them was allowed into the back until the day of the wedding. Harry trusted that Draco's mother and Hermione would do a pleasant enough job with the altar and the seating arrangements. Draco wasn't all that optimistic.

"It's _my_ wedding, why can't I oversee the important parts of it?" he griped.

"Because you're too stressed already and you're going be chewing _my_ head off the day before the wedding," Harry said.

Ron and Blaise were the best men at the wedding. They were more than happy to oblige. They helped Draco drag Harry to his suit fitting and cake tasting sessions. They helped calm Draco down whenever he went on a ranting rampage in Harry's house.

There was a month left before the nuptials.

-x-

Harry and Draco were on their patrol. It was already eight months into the program and both men were thoroughly exhausted from the effort required to stay focused on the training while balancing wedding plans. They were slowly strolling down a deserted Diagon Alley, talking quietly about who should be seated with whom and what not to serve at the reception dinner.

"Fuck this, we should just elope," Draco muttered.

"Yeah, I'm sure everyone would appreciate that," Harry replied, rolling his eyes.

That's when they heard their Sneakoscopes whistling shrilly and rotating in their pockets. Both men quickly drew out their wand and cast a Disillusionment charm, peering out into the darkness. Soft rustles echoed along the cobblestone road and Harry caught slight movement from the corner of his eye. He swore silently, pushing himself closer to Draco. He felt the rush of unease as Dementors slowly descended.

"_Finite Incantantem,"_ Bellatrix Lestrange's sharp voice chanted decisively. Harry and Draco felt the Disillusionment charm lifting off of them, leaving them visible to the cackling Death Eater.

"Well, well, well… " Bellatrix said softly as the Dementors closed in on the two Aurors.

"_Expecto Patr_-"

"_Flagrate_," Bellatrix interrupted Harry. He yelped as he felt hot slashes cutting through his arms. He heaved in pain, letting his wild magic heal him. He took a deep breath before standing back upright.

Draco was staring at the figure behind Bellatrix. Lucius Malfoy was looking at the two men passively. Draco felt despair filling him as the Dementors stopped moving, making a loose circle around Harry and him.

"Father?" he said, his voice cracking.

Harry felt Draco's mind filling with hesitation. He tried to dispel the Dementors again, but Bellatrix cut him short, this time with an Expelliarmus. Harry's wand clattered onto the stones and rolled away, but he held his ground. _Fuck Draco, do something!_ But Draco was rooted on the spot, his wand hanging limp. Harry threw a protective shield around himself and Draco.

"Snap out of it, Draco," Harry said through his gritted teeth. "I need you to use the Patronus when I open the shield, okay?"

Draco nodded hesitantly, not wanting to break his eye contact with Lucius. Harry poured magic into Draco, wanting him to stay resilient. He tried to enter Draco's mind, but it was firmly shut, keeping Harry out. Draco felt the slight tingle of Harry's magic in his body and took a deep breath. He nodded again.

"Now," Harry muttered, dropping his shield.

"_Expecto –_"

"_Crucio_," Lucius interrupted, pointing his wand at his son. Harry's stomach dropped. He furiously summoned his wand using his wild magic and let his wings unfurl as he watched Draco writhing on the ground.

"_Curcio_," Bellatrix screamed at Harry. Harry pushed the pain out of his mind and quickly snapped up his wand. Lucius turned his calm eyes to Harry.

"_Sectumsempra_," he hissed, slashing at Harry. Harry gasped in pain. He dropped to his knees, trying to heal himself.

"Hmm… Potter. Isn't that how you killed the Dark Lord? How fitting, killing the darkest wizard with Dark magic," Lucius said quietly.

Harry couldn't heal the slashes that ran across his chest. The Dark magic barrier was stopping his wild magic from closing the wounds. He groaned in pain as he felt the blood seeping out. Lucius slashed his wand again. Nausea filled Harry as he felt the skin on his back ripping open underneath his wings. Tears fell from his eyes as he tried unsuccessfully to repair the cuts. Bellatrix crowed loudly, throwing a vicious Cruciatus at him. This time Harry wasn't prepared for it. His wings curled up around him as he tried to protect himself from the pain in his head and in his body.

Draco woke up from his swoon to find Harry whimpering on the ground. Fury took over as he whipped his wand at Lucius.

"How dare you! _Impedimenta_," he shouted hoarsely, watching his father fall to the ground.

Bellatrix quickly switched her focus to the conscious Auror. With a quick smirk she chanted, "_Avada ked-_"

_No, _Harry thought through his pain. He threw his shield up around Draco, feeling his magic falter as blood gushed through his gashes. He didn't know if his shield could stop the killing curse. He poured more and more of his magic into it spontaneously. He cried out in agony as the Killing Curse bounded off the shield. His heart faltered at the jarring effect of the curse. He struggled to breathe. His wings went limp and his consciousness flickered.

"_Incendio_," Draco roared at Bellatrix. She screamed as her robes caught on fire. She fell to the ground, trying to extinguish the insatiable flames.

_Please, Harry. Just hold on_, Draco thought as he gathered up all his positive energy and let it flow out of his wand. "_Expecto Patronum_," Draco said clearly, sending out his Patronus. The angel flew out of his wand, looking at him sadly for a moment. The shimmery silver Patronus of Harry then flew towards the surrounding Dementors, causing them to scatter into the sky. It drew out its large wings and pushed heavily against the Dementors. Within seconds, the last of the Dark creatures screeched loudly and flew away. Draco's Patronus slowly flew back up to Draco. Patronus Harry touched a warm translucent hand against Draco's cheek silently, enveloping him in the silver wings. Draco let out a strangled cry and the Patronus disappeared into his wand.

Draco quickly knelt down beside Harry, gathering him up. Harry was crying silently, his shoulders shaking violently.

"Harry, please…" Draco pleaded, not knowing what he wanted Harry to do.

"I can't," Harry whispered painfully. "Oh god, it hurts!"

Draco watched in horror as blood flowed freely down the street. He tried to staunch it using healing charms, but nothing worked against the Dark magic. His hand was soon soiled with Harry's warm blood. Harry was mumbling incoherently while Draco frantically called the Ministry for assistance.

"Hold on, Harry, just hold on, okay," Draco said urgently, trying to keep Harry conscious.

Harry cried out in agony again, this time because he felt Draco's pained emotions. He didn't want to hold on. The torture was unbearable. He wanted to let go. His mind jolted in awareness when he suddenly tasted salty lips against his mouth. He hungrily accepted Draco's love, moving his lips quickly under Draco's trembling ones. "Don't leave me," Draco cried into Harry's cold lips.

_I won't_, Harry tried to say, but he couldn't remember how. He struggled for another breath, wanting to tell Draco that he loved him. But he couldn't make the words come out. He cried harder at the thought, feeling his consciousness slipping.

Draco saw Harry's bright emerald eyes open for a brief moment, staring clearly into Draco's. "I know you love me, Harry," he breathed, pushing his lips against Harry's once again. Harry sighed as he let the darkness take him.

-x-


	38. Chapter 38

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

-x-

"Harry? Please, Harry!" Draco said shakily, trying to wake Harry up. He heard the distinct sound of Apparation behind him. He heard Ministry officials running towards them, shouting orders to capture the two unconscious Death Eaters.

"What happened?" Kinsley asked grimly, kneeling beside the distraught blond. Draco turned blindly at the sound.

"I – please, we need to help him. He couldn't – he tried to stop the Killing Curse. And my fa – Lucius used Sectumsempra on him. He can't – Harry can't heal it. Please," Draco wept, clutching Harry to his chest.

"We'll transport him to St. Mungo's right away, Draco," Tonks said, trying to release Draco's grip on Harry.

"I have to go with him," Draco stuttered. Kingsley looked at Tonks desperately. She sighed and nodded.

"Okay, let's go."

Draco tried to stand up with Tonks, but his legs gave way slightly from exhaustion. Williamson caught him as he sagged. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Draco felt the effects of the Cruciatus curse washing over him and he tried to stave off the nausea. He nodded silently, heaving. Tonks looked at Kingsley nervously before conjuring up a Portkey.

"Here we go," she said, holding onto Harry's limp body. Draco touched the Portkey with Tonks and they were transported to the Emergency wing of the hospital. Mediwizards quickly moved Harry into a private room, shutting out Tonks and Draco. Draco felt dizzy once again and tried to support himself against the wall.

"Sit down," Tonks ordered. Draco stumbled to the chair outside Harry's room. Tonks knelt in front of Draco.

"What did they do to you?" she asked quietly, assessing Draco's health using silent charms.

Draco took a shuddering breath. "They used Sectumsempra and Crucio on Harry. He can't heal Dark magic so –"

Tonks interrupted. "No, Draco. What did they do to _you_?"

Draco stared silently at his trembling hands. "Cruciatus Curse. Bellatrix tried to use the killing curse, but Harry –" his voice broke as he remembered Harry's pained cry when the curse hit his shield. He vehemently rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hands. "It's all my fault. I hesitated," he said softly. He felt fury well up inside him. He roared in aggravation, wrenching his hair. Tonks hugged him softly, feeling his body go limp against her.

"He's going to be okay, Draco," she said soothingly. Draco clenched her tightly, wanting to believe every word she said.

-x-

The waiting room was soon filled with well wishers. Draco sat in the corner of the room, leaning his head back against the wall, staring at the ceiling. He was trying not to think. Whenever his mind wandered, he flinched at his thoughts, trying to suppress them. He didn't want to talk to anyone and he didn't want to hear anyone talk to him. He wanted to be with Harry, but no one was letting him go in. Draco squeezed his eyes shut. He was emotionally drained from the previous night. He had been healed of all injuries after Tonks had dragged him to the Emergency room once again. He'd slept fitfully in his hospital room that night, nightmares plaguing him. The next morning, he couldn't lie still, so he had wandered into the waiting room and was now sitting quietly.

Harry had lost a lot of blood during transit. His wounds were deep; some even tore into his lungs. The slashes needed to be bound together using powerful potions and bandages. Luckily, there was no apparent permanent damage. But the energy he needed to fuel the shield was enormous. His magic was wavering, unstable as his body fought to stay alive. So far, Professor Dumbledore was the only one allowed into Harry's room.

Frustrated with himself, Draco stood up from his seat and walked out of the waiting area. He paced in front of Harry's room, hoping to catch a glimpse of him if someone left the door open. He walked back and forth briskly, keeping his mind occupied by counting the number of steps he took. After around three hundred steps, he heard the door open. He quickly looked up, trying to peer into the room. Dumbledore smiled sadly before opening the door wider. Draco gaped, looking at the old wizard hesitantly.

"You may go in, Draco," Dumbledore said, quietly.

Draco's breath hitched in his throat. Now he wasn't sure if he wanted to go in. He stalled for a moment, staring at Dumbledore's kind eyes.

"Is – Is he awake?" Draco asked hopefully.

"No. I don't know when he will wake up."

"Okay," Draco said decisively, walking into the room. He wanted to be there when Harry woke up. He stumbled to a halt when he saw Harry lying on the large hospital bed. _Oh no, Harry…_ He blindly let his feet lead him to the broken man on the bed. Harry looked pale and drawn. His mouth was pursed in a perpetual grimace and his eyes were flicking back and forth underneath his eyelids. He was restrained to the bed and Draco noticed horrifically that the cuffs were chaffing his wrists. Harry was shirtless but his chest was wrapped in white bandages. Rather, they were once white, but now had spots of red on it. He seemed to be shivering slightly from the shock. As Draco approached Harry, his mind filling with dread and sadness, he saw Harry flinch away. Draco quickly glanced up at Dumbledore, who was standing by the door.

"He's not able to control emotions anymore," Dumbledore explained.

Draco quickly shut Harry out of his mind. He didn't want Harry to suffer any more than he had to. He gently touched Harry's cheeks, tracing the tear tracks with his shaky fingers. Harry unconsciously moved towards Draco, pressing his cheek against the familiar finger. Draco stared lovingly at his fiancé, willing him to wake up. But Harry stayed as he was, unconscious and in agony. Draco sat by Harry's side for a while, glad that he finally got to come into the room.

Draco yelped suddenly when Harry shot his eyes open. Harry unseeingly whipped his head to the side, arching his back. He screamed hoarsely, lashing in his bed. Draco watched in horror. Dumbledore eyed Harry sadly. "It seems that Sirius' magic is finally leaving him," he explained. Draco tried to stop Harry from convulsing, but Dumbledore put his hand on Draco's shoulder. "He needs to vent, Draco," the Headmaster said quietly. Draco stifled his sobs in his hand, watching Harry shudder in his bed.

"You don't have to see this," Dumbledore said understandingly. Draco shook his head vehemently.

"No, he needs me. I'll stay here. I have to be here when he wakes up," Draco muttered shakily through his tears.

"Draco, he's going to be alright. You know that, right?"

"Yes… He'll be alright if I stay."

-x-

Harry felt the pain creeping up on him again. He'd had enough. He'd had enough last year, when this had happened. The second time was worse. He felt like his body was being wrenched apart into pieces. The days and nights blended together. His muscles were torn from his frantic motions. His hands and feet were bound again, causing him to panic whenever he thought about how helpless he was. His head was filled with pain and nausea. He wanted to die.

But something always stopped him. It wasn't revenge this time. This was not like last time. Soft touches often brought him back from the torment. Quiet voices soothed him, although he had no idea what the words meant. Comforting kisses kept him relatively sane. He wanted to know why he couldn't give up. He couldn't remember anything except for pain. He wanted to know why he was still alive.

-x-

On the third day after the incident, Draco was lovingly talking to Harry when Harry wrenched his hand out of Draco's and sent out a bloodcurdling scream. He strained one last time against the restraints, convulsing in his bed with fervor. The scream died down in his throat as he fell backwards against the pillows, exhausted.

"Draco?"

Draco fumbled for his wand and released Harry from the restraints. He climbed into Harry's bed and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. "Harry, don't you _ever_ do that to me _again_," he cried, kissing Harry passionately.

"That hurts," Harry wheezed, trying to get away from his fiancé.

"Oh, fuck it," Draco said vehemently, kissing Harry's cheeks, his forehead, his chin, his nose, and his lips with enthusiasm. Harry moaned against Draco's bruising kisses. Relief washed over him. When Draco finally pulled away, Harry took in another deep breath.

"You're okay. Oh, Draco, I thought… I mean, I didn't know if – I was so scared for you. I was so scared that I wouldn't – I love you_ so_ much," Harry stuttered, laying a tired hand on Draco's cheek.

"I know, Harry. I _know_ you love me. Even if you don't say it, I always know," Draco said quietly, looking into Harry's teary eyes.

"Good," Harry said, moving in gingerly for a soft kiss.

-x-

"Harry, it seems like Sirius' magic has left you," Dumbledore said grimly.

Harry's breath caught in his throat and tears stung his eyes. "Why?" he asked hoarsely. Draco squeezed Harry's hand in support.

"Because it is no longer needed, Harry. Remember how I had talked to you about the need to balance good and evil. The evil is vanquished, Harry. The good has prevailed. Sirius' magic was used one last time, Harry – to save Draco's life. Now, it is no longer needed."

Tears spilled down Harry's cheeks. That magic was the one thing that connected him with his godfather. And now it was gone. "Where did it go?"

"One can only assume, Harry. I'd like to think that once a magical entity dies, its magic is dispersed into the universe. It never truly disappears, it is merely moved into other objects."

Harry nodded in understanding. Sirius had given him the most priceless gift. And he had used it very wisely. Now that he had no need for it, it was returned to the universe. But that didn't stop Harry from feeling disheartened over losing a part of his godfather. Harry tugged at his ruby that was resting on his chest. It was no longer glowing. It glinted the sunlight onto the ceiling, but it didn't radiate red anymore. He was back to normal, whatever that was.

"And now, Harry, I want you to focus on getting better. You only have three weeks until the big day," Dumbledore said, a twinkle present in his eyes. Harry smiled bashfully despite himself. Draco chuckled when he saw Harry's face flushing with embarrassment.

"Yes, you'd better get well soon. I'm sure a hell not carrying you down the aisle," Draco drawled, earning a punch in the arm.

-x-


	39. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

**A/N: **This feels _much_ better.

-x-

Ron was frantically tugging at Harry's tie, wanting to make it perfect. Blaise had bet him that Draco would look hotter than Harry at the wedding, and Ron had graciously accepted. He wanted everything about Harry to be perfect. After all, ten galleons was no small change.

Harry rolled his eyes at Ron's frantic movements. "Ron, it looks fine as it is," he said, looking at himself in the mirror. It showed a tall, muscled young man with effortlessly styled black hair and sharp emerald eyes. His soft youthful face was slightly flushed with excitement. His mouth was permanently quirked into a soft smile. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a pale grey vest, black tie and a white shirt. A small hint of green peaked out of his pocket, where Ron had taken initiative to place a small scarf that helped pick up Harry's brilliant irises. Harry nervously ran his fingers through his hair, trying to make it stick. He smoothed his suit over his lithe frame.

"Okay, how do I look?" he asked Ron, turning away from the mirror and placing a hand in his pocket.

"Good," Ron said simply. Harry made a disparaging noise. He wanted to look better than just good. Ron noticed Harry's frustration and chuckled.

"I'll call Hermione in," he said, walking to the door. A minute later, Hermione strolled in looking stunning in her red chiffon gown that flowed with every step she took.

Harry grinned at Hermione's entrance. "'Mione, you look beautiful!" he said, gushing over her. She blushed generously, ducking her head.

"And you, Harry, look absolutely handsome! How'd Ron manage this? I thought I'd have to waltz in here and straighten you out after Ron was done his thing. Wow, Harry, you clean up really well!" Hermione exclaimed, walking slowly around Harry.

Harry grinned with elation. _Well, at least I look better than good_. "How much longer do I have to wait?"

Hermione rolled her eyes in exasperation. "You still have an hour, Harry. Just sit still and don't mess anything up," she said.

"This is the hardest part," Harry pouted, sitting on the bed.

"I'll send Ginny in," Hermione said, smiling cheekily.

Harry laughed helplessly as she closed the door behind her.

-x-

Draco was pacing in his room, anxious to start the ceremony. He couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. He wanted to be married as soon as possible. He didn't want to wait for frivolous guests and vows. Blaise was propped up on the bed, reading a book.

"Please stop pacing," Blaise repeated for the fourth time in ten minutes.

"I can't sit still, Blaise," Draco replied, looking at himself in the mirror again. He looked spectacular in his black tuxedo and pale grey vest. Blaise had stuck a red scarf into his pocket to add some color to the ensemble. Draco's platinum blond hair looked windswept, the way Harry liked it. His pale chiseled face was slightly rosy from the excitement. He scowled at himself in the mirror, running a hand down his lapel.

"Yes, Draco, you look hot," Blaise said absently, flipping the page.

Draco sighed in frustration before resuming his pacing. "How much longer?"

"An hour, Malfoy. Now you sit your ass down on that chair, or so help me Merlin, I'll stick you to it," Blaise snapped, looking up at Draco with mild irritation.

Draco huffed indignantly and sat down, rattling his legs unconsciously. Blaise rolled his eyes in annoyance before returning to his book.

-x-

"Ten minutes," Neville chimed after he stuck his head in Harry's room. Harry took a deep calming breath and got up steadily. Ginny was giggling with excitement as the two walked out of the room and headed down the hall to the stairs. They made their way down to the main foyer that led out into the altar. Harry felt butterflies swooping around his stomach as he climbed down the last few flights of stairs. He rounded the corner and caught sight of his fiancé smiling at him. Harry's heart floated up at the sight of Draco looking breathtaking in his suit. Harry grinned foolishly as he took Draco's outstretched hand. Ginny opened the door with a flourish, letting the two men out.

They stumbled to a halt at the scene in front of them. The field was transformed into an ivory setting. The guests were on their feet, turning around to look at Harry and Draco. A soft stretch of red carpet led the way to the marriage official. Subtle lilies were strategically placed around the guests. Softly lit candles floated on either side of the aisle. Tall, lean, ivory pillars were erected around the ceremony and pale blue drapes hung beautifully off of them, floating gently in the wind. The setting sun was casting a golden glow on the altar.

"It's beautiful," Harry breathed. Hermione blushed slightly at the compliment.

"Shall we start?" Ron asked, nodding at Draco and Harry. They both gave him a soft dazed smile before nodding.

Soft music echoed through the crowd as Ron and Hermione made their way down the aisle, followed by Blaise and Ginny. Harry watched the two pairs walking slowly on the carpet, stopping in front of the official before splitting and moving aside. Draco gripped Harry's hand tightly as they made their way down the long stretch. Harry heard whispers and soft sighs as the two men passed familiar faces and large grins. He smiled self-consciously, resisting the urge to smooth his hair down. After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the dais. Draco mentally congratulated himself for not tripping and making a fool of himself during the walk. He let go of Harry's hand. They stood facing each other, feeling euphoric.

The marriage official cleared his throat and cast the Sonorus spell on himself before starting the ceremony.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here to join Harry James Potter and Draco Lucius Malfoy in marriage. This evening, we are here to celebrate eternal love. If there is anything greater than loving, it is to be loved. We are truly grateful to be able to witness this happy occasion. They are truly grateful that you support their decision and witness their bond of love. Now, for the exchange of vows."

Draco started. "I want you to be my strength and my inspiration. Even when life is hard on us, and Merlin knows it's been hard, I am grateful for your courage and compassion. From this day forth, I promise to share your burdens and dreams. I promise to help you in times of need. I promise to laugh with you in times of joy and comfort you in times of sorrow. I promise to cherish you. You were my angel in my times of need. You have never left me when I needed you the most. Now, I vow that I will _never_ leave you. Harry, I promise to love you and I only hope that I can love you as much as you love me."

Harry's eyes prickled with tears. He sniffed it back and steeled himself, recalling his own vows. "I laugh, I smile, I care, and I trust because of you. You have always picked me up after I was knocked down. I promise to give you the best of myself. I promise to tell you my dreams and nightmares. I promise to cherish you. Love has given me wings. You are my wings. I will _always _be here for you, Draco. I promise to love you eternally with all my heart."

Quiet sniffs emulated from the audience. Harry and Draco smiled lovingly at each other through tear-filled eyes.

"Exchange rings," the official said solemnly.

Ron and Blaise handed the rings to Harry and Draco. Harry held out his trembling hand and Draco held it lightly. "With free and unconstrained soul, I give you all I am and will become. With this ring, I give you all my love." He slipped the silver wedding band onto Harry's finger. Harry then took Draco's cold hand, grasping it warmly. "With free and unconstrained soul, I give you all I am and will become. With this ring, I give you all my love." Harry slid the ring in place, lingering at the feel of Draco's fingers.

"Now may those who wear these rings live in love all their days. Now may the love, which has brought you together, continue to grow and enrich your lives. And may everything you have said and done here today become a living truth in your lives.

"Do you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, take Harry James Potter to be your lifelong partner?"

"I do."

"Do you, Harry James Potter, take Draco Lucius Malfoy to be your lifelong partner?"

"I do."

"Then it is my honor and delight to declare you married and partners for life. You may seal your vows with a kiss."

Harry and Draco felt their emotions bubbling to the surface as they savored the moment. In one instant, they took a step closer, studying each other's faces.

"I love you so much."

"I love you too."

Draco leaned in for a soft kiss, placing one hand on Harry's soft face. Harry pulled up, wrapping his long arm around Draco's waist. The marriage official whisked his wand in an intricate pattern and shimmering white light bathed the two men. Harry and Draco gasped softly against each other's lips as the magic flowed through them. Harry felt the magic increasing, and he frowned at the familiar heady feeling he got. He moaned into Draco as he felt the power rippling through him and out his shoulders.

The crowd gasped in wonder as Harry's wings ripped out of his suit and gracefully enveloped Draco. Draco pulled away quickly when he felt the wings touching his back cautiously.

"Harry?" Draco whispered, gently running his fingers through the cocoon of feathers he was wrapped in.

"Yeah?" Harry breathed, still dazed from the magic.

Draco stared into Harry's innocent eyes and inviting mouth. "Nothing," Draco answered, kissing him rapturously. Harry pressed his wings against Draco tightly, drawing him in. They stayed in the passionate embrace for a few moments enjoying the warmth and the privacy. Draco pulled away first. "I think we need to… you know? Well, to start with you need to – er… put the wings away?"

Harry chuckled lightly as he slowly let go of Draco and let his wings fall away from Draco's back. He let the magic drain away into his ruby that was hidden under his shirt. Hermione quickly repaired Harry's suit surreptitiously. He threw her a grateful grin. The marriage official coughed slightly at the interruption. Harry turned back to face Draco.

"It is my personal privilege and joy to be the first ones to introduce Harry James Malfoy-Potter and Draco Lucius Malfoy-Potter."

The crowd cheered loudly, sending showers of white sparks into the air. The married couple grinned widely as they face the audience. They briskly strolled down the aisle, smiling happily at the well wishers. They were practically jogging by the time they reached the mansion.

"Harry! Your wings!" Draco exclaimed the moment they shut the door behind them. He pulled Harry into a passionate full-mouthed kiss, ravaging his mouth with nips. He pushed Harry into the wall with fervor, frantically kissing Harry's smooth neck. Harry's heart fluttered and his eyes shut on its own accord.

"Draco, we can't – they're waiting. Reception. Please?" Draco stilled against Harry as the words registered in his head. He took a moment to calm down, still pressing himself against Harry.

"R- Right. Reception. Fuck, this isn't happening fast enough… So, wings?"

"I don't know where it came from!" Harry said, breathing heavily. "I mean, it didn't feel powerful like before. It just… happened. Maybe I still have some of Sirius' magic with me."

"Harry, you are one extraordinary man, you know that?" Draco pulled Harry into another enthusiastic kiss. Harry melted under Draco's touch, looping his arms around Draco's neck.

The door cracked open and Ginny's head popped in. "Is it safe to come in?" she asked slyly.

Harry laughed against Draco's lips. "Yeah," he said, his voice muffled against Draco.

The door flew open and Ginny, Blaise, Ron, and Hermione bounded in. "Good, because it looked like you two were ready to rip clothes off of each other back there," Ginny continued, eyeing the kissing couple playfully.

"Harry, your wings! It's back?" Ron asked, trying to pull Draco off of Harry.

"Mph! Yeah," Harry said, as Draco was pulled away from his lips. He straightened his suit and ran his fingers through his ruffled hair. "I don't think it was ever gone. I just never tried to pull it out. I think maybe a bit of the wild magic is still with me."

Draco composed himself after Ron pulled him off of Harry. He smoothed his hands over his suit, looking regal once again. He held out a hand to Harry. "Shall we?"

The reception was filled with food, music, speeches, and inquiries. Everyone wanted to know about Harry's wings. Harry patiently explained to his friends while Draco impatiently tapped his foot on the floor and folded his arms to his chest. The wedding cake was three tiered, covered with pale blue fondant. Small broomsticks whizzed around the cake, thanks to the Weasley twins. Harry and Draco laughed at the oddity before proceeding to cut the elegant cake. Harry giggled with joy as he tasted the chocolate fudge hidden in the piece of cake Draco fed him. Draco grinned at Harry's obvious pleasure.

Dinner was a clamorous affair, with people casually visiting their friends at tables and people walking up to the head table to wish Harry and Draco a happy married life. The chaos lasted two hours and the two men had barely helped themselves to the delicious spread. Toast after toast was said and speech after speech was given. Draco sighed in frustration at the long drawn out process.

Harry was then reluctantly dragged onto the dance floor for the first dance. Draco took the lead and gently swayed with Harry to the slow beat. Harry laid his tired head on Draco's chest, feeling the slow heart beating against him. Draco kissed the top of Harry's head, drawing him closer. Harry sighed happily. "We're married, Draco."

"Yes, we are, Harry," Draco said softly.

Blaise nudged Ron's arm. "So, who won the bet?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Let's call it even, shall we?"

-x-

**A/N: **Wouldn't be complete without one more slash scene. Stay tuned for the last chapter!


	40. Chapter 40

**Disclaimer: **I am not J.K. Rowling. This story is merely my way of saluting her. I do not own any of these characters; I just manipulate their thoughts. I also want to give props to Beren and Mijan for inspiring my stories.

**A/N: ** Mature scenes, slash warning!

-x-

The wedding party waved at Harry and Draco outside the front door of the Malfoy Manor. Harry laughed happily as Draco twisted him around and Disapparated to Harry's bedroom in Grimmauld Place.

"Fuck, I want you _so _bad, Potter," Draco said, forcing Harry against the wall. Harry smiled maliciously as he pushed against Draco and whipped him around, pinning him to the wall in turn. "Good," he hissed, nuzzling Draco's neck. Harry grabbed Draco's wrists and slid them up the wall. He crushed his lips against Draco, grinding against him. Draco moaned in ecstasy and tried to pull his wrists away from Harry's grip. Harry tightened his hold on Draco as he bucked his arousal against Draco's. Draco's stomach clenched in anticipation and he thumped the wall in exasperation. Harry wasn't letting him move and he was taking his own sweet time too. Draco growled threateningly, causing Harry to chuckle.

"Not yet," he said, moving Draco's wrists into one hand and using the other to casually unbutton Draco's tux. Draco closed his eyes as he felt Harry's hands traveling along his body. Harry tugged at Draco's tie, unraveling it and throwing it aside. He opened Draco's vest while kissing his neck softly. Draco sighed with pleasure. Harry finally got to his shirt, getting impatient at the hindering clothing. He slid a hand down carelessly, popping the buttons as his hands sought Draco's skin. Draco shivered at the touch. He cried out when Harry bit his shoulder lightly, flicking his tongue over Draco's skin. He tried to move his hands to hold Harry, but Harry held them firmly against the wall.

"Not yet," Harry repeated, moving his free hand down Draco's hardened stomach. "Harry, I need to move," Draco whispered, squirming at Harry's soft, adoring touch. Harry smiled slyly as he bend his head and took one of Draco's erect nipples in his mouth, biting lightly. Draco whimpered and threw his head to the side, feeling his arousal throbbing. He thumped against the wall again, growling. Harry dropped his free hand from Draco's stomach to his groin, cupping his arousal firmly. That was all Draco could take. With a groan he forced his hands out of Harry's grip and pulled him up for a heartbreaking kiss. He grabbed Harry by the waist and twirled him in the air, stumbling towards the bed. Harry laughed into Draco's lips as he felt his feet leaving the floor. Draco unceremoniously dumped Harry on the bed, quickly taking off his own unbuttoned suit and shirt. He grabbed Harry roughly, bringing him up for a passionate kiss. Their tongues danced in each other's mouths, fighting over domination. Draco hurriedly tugged at Harry's coat and vest, his frantic fingers pulling at the buttons. Harry pushed himself up against Draco, unbuckling his pants and pulling it down quickly. He pushed Draco down on the bed, pinning Draco's hips down with his strong arms. He flicked his tongue over Draco's cock, using his hands to stop his hips from jerking. Draco fisted the bed sheets blindly as he felt Harry's mouth moving down his cock. He bucked unconsciously into Harry's mouth, causing him to gag. Harry glanced up at Draco's contorted face and sucked hard. Draco felt the fire in his groin throbbing and he whimpered. Harry licked Draco's thick shaft slowly, prolonging his climax.

"Harry, I want you _now_," Draco said vehemently, groaning as his cock twitched. Harry rapidly undid his suit, growling at how frustratingly difficult it was to slip out of it. He finally tossed away his shirt and boxers, pressing himself against Draco's warm body. He ran his hands down Draco's side, kissing his neck and chest. He moved his hands to Draco's large cock, softly massaging it. "Fuck, Harry," Draco breathed, letting go of the bedclothes and wrapping his arm around Harry's scarred back. He rolled Harry onto his back and positioned himself against Harry's opening. With a single unhesitant plunge, he buried deep inside Harry. Harry gasped at the pain, willing himself to relax. Draco shuddered as Harry clenched around him. He was already so close to his release. He shifted slightly, searching for Harry's sweet spot. He bucked slightly into Harry, causing him to flinch against the pain. He repositioned and pushed into Harry again. Harry groaned as Draco lightly brushed his prostate.

"That close, huh?" Draco grunted as he pushed in deeper still. Harry cried out in ecstasy as he felt his insides turning to jelly. Draco pumped into Harry at a steady rhythm. Harry arched his back against Draco's passionate plunges. Draco was moving deeper into Harry than he'd ever done before. Harry felt himself being stretched to the limit and his stomach was quivering each time Draco brushed into his prostate.

"I'm gonna come," Harry said through gritted teeth as he felt his body heating up and letting go. He let out a strangled scream as he came, clenching his body. Draco gasped as his cock was squeezed tantalizingly inside Harry. He came into Harry, shuddering with the force. He blinked back the bright spots dancing in front of his eyes. He pulled out of Harry and enveloped him in a tired embrace, kissing his lips clumsily. Harry returned the kiss with lust and love.

"Oh, I'm so tired," Harry complained, trying to move his aching muscles. Draco mumbled incoherently, throwing his arm onto Harry's chest. Both men were snoring softly within the next minute.

-x-

"Breakfast?" Draco asked cheerily as Harry stumbled into the kitchen.

"Coffee," he groaned, sitting down at the table and laying his head on it. He heard a soft thud as Draco levitated a steaming mug onto the table. "You're the best," Harry smiled drowsily, sipping on the strong coffee.

"Have something to eat. You barely had anything last night." Draco pushed over a plate of toast and eggs towards Harry. Harry looked grateful as he shoveled the food into his mouth, feeling more awake now. Draco coughed inconspicuously, looking pointedly at Harry. Harry rolled his eyes but kept eating like a pig. "Just this once?" Harry asked with a full mouth.

Draco chuckled at Harry's pitiful face. He nodded, watching Harry fill his stomach with delectable food. Harry sighed blissfully as he swallowed the hot scrambled eggs. "You're so fucking cute, Potter," Draco said, propping his elbows on the table and resting his chin on his hands. Harry smiled happily, blushing slightly.

Draco got up from his chair and walked up to Harry. Harry raised his eyebrows expectantly. "What?" he asked, his voice muffled against the food.

"This," Draco knelt down and kissed Harry softly. Harry pulled away quickly, scrunching his face. "Ew," he said, wiping his mouth. Draco grinned happily, pulling Harry into another kiss. Harry scooted his chair back, out of Draco's reach. "Mph… At least let me swallow first," he said, gulping quickly. Draco stepped forward, tipping back Harry's chair slightly and capturing Harry's lips in his own. Harry hurriedly gripped Draco's forearms, not wanting to fall over. Draco pulled Harry out of his chair and lifted him up onto the table, fitting himself between Harry's legs.

Harry propped himself upright with his hands, letting Draco lean into him and kiss him hungrily. "Mmm… You taste so good," Draco breathed, slipping his tongue into Harry's mouth. Harry giggled into Draco's mouth. The blond started to pull Harry's shirt up, slipping his warm hands around Harry's waist and running them up his back. Harry groaned as his cock twitched with awareness. He collapsed on the table, taking Draco down with him. Their muscles still ached from last night, but that wasn't going to stop them. Harry wrenched off Draco's shirt, revealing the pale hard body underneath. He marveled at his physique in the sunlight, thinking vaguely that they should make love more often at daytime. He realized he'd said it out loud when Draco laughed quietly and nodded in agreement.

"And this is me returning the favor for last night," Draco murmured, slowly tugging Harry's shirt off and gripping his hips firmly. Harry threw his head back in pleasure as Draco roughly rubbed his cock through his pajamas. "Fuck, Malfoy, this is one hell of a breakfast!"

-x-

Harry groaned as Draco pushed him against the cold tiled walls in the shower. "We're going to be late," he gasped as Draco touched Harry intimately. Draco kissed Harry passionately, slowly pumping Harry's hardness. Harry dropped his hands on Draco's shoulders, holding himself up despite his wavering legs. His tired body bucked against Draco's hand. His moan was captured against Draco's lips as he drowned in passion. Draco started to pump Harry faster, causing him to jerk against the wall. "Draco, I'm –" Harry was interrupted by his climax. He fell onto Draco, furiously kissing his neck and giving him love bites. He ran a hand down Draco's chest to his groin. Draco pushed against Harry, closing his eyes as Harry casually brushed his foreskin.

"Oh god, we're going to be so late."

-x-

"Why can't I get enough of you?" Harry asked in a strangled voice as he kissed the living daylights out of Draco in their office.

"I don't know and I don't care," Draco panted, ripping away Harry's Auror robe.

The door shot open and Ernie walked in. "Guys, not in here!" he groaned, walking back out.

Harry grinned sheepishly at Draco.

-x-

"No more… Please, no more," Draco groaned as he lay stiffly on the couch. Harry pouted and settled down beside his partner. Draco drew Harry into a soft hug as they curled into each other.

"Fine. We should probably stop having sex this often anyway. It's starting to gross people out," Harry said, smiling wryly at the thought of Ron's horrified face.

Draco laughed and then groaned again. "It hurts just to laugh, Harry," he mumbled.

"Would it hurt to make out?" Harry asked innocently.

"Oh, I sure hope not," Draco breathed, moving his lips softly against Harry's.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

-x-

**A/N: ** I'm satisfied with this ending. Hope you guys are too! It's been fun :D


	41. Chapter 41

**Not another chapter! **Just wanted to let you know before you got your hopes up...

So, my friend from real life (because I do have friends in real life) was appalled by this story D: She wants to rewrite it. She's already done up a few chapters. If you guys can't get enough of _Wings_, her's is called _Wings Reloaded_. Much less swearing, absolutely no 18-A scenes (but really, why write a Harry/Draco slash if you aren't going to write about them having sex...) and according to her, better dialogue and reactions. She thinks I made Harry too complacent and Draco too Gryffindor-like. And she said the fight scene was prissy and needed to be a heck of a lot longer. She also wanted a lot more other characters, not just Harry and Draco. She was mean :( Anyways, check it out and give her a whole lot of bad reviews! Her username is _AnonymWriter_ and her writer ID is **2530122**.

Um... I was kidding about the bad reviews. She'll bash me if you give her bad reviews.

So, since you have read this far and are probably totally pissed at me for making you read this far, here's a one shot! Just for you. Because I love you. In a totally platonic sense. Except for the hot guys. I really do love you. In a totally non-platonic sense.

* * *

**Honeymoon:**

"Ugh, it's so freaking hot..." Draco mumbled, trying to find a cool spot on his pillow. Harry tried to move closer to Draco, but that only made Draco push away from Harry. Harry scooted forward while trying to wrap his arm around Draco's back.

"No," Draco said, wiggling back.

Harry hooked his leg between Draco's and pushed in, his lips searching for Draco's neck.

Draco made a noise of exasperation as he untangled himself from Harry's limbs and moved back. "Stop being such a - whoa!" Draco found himself on the cool, tiled floor. Harry's head popped into view from atop the bed, a small smirk on his lips and his green eyes half-closed from sleep. Draco scowled up at him as he let the coldness seep into his clammy skin. "Why the hell would you pick Hawaii, of all the places? I would have been fine with Geneva or Paris," he grumbled, not bothering to get up. The floor was a welcome reprieve from the sweaty sheets.

Harry's smile widened as he flicked his wand at Draco, renewing the Cooling Charm that had worn off during the night. Draco sighed with relief and got up gingerly, his back and head aching from the fall. Harry sunk back onto his pillow, holding out his arm.

"No," Draco said smugly. "I'm going to take a long relaxing bath and _you_ are _not_ invited."

Harry winked as he dropped his arm and curled up.

"No," Draco reiterated as he rummaged through his suitcase for clothes. "Because I never get any bathing done when you're in there with me." Harry merely smiled as he watched Draco pull out random garments and tucked them in his towel. "Order me some breakfast," Draco added before closing the bathroom door.

Harry stretched slowly and sat up on his bed, hugging his knees to his chest and propping his sleepy head on them. He stayed that way until Draco walked out of the bath half-hour later. Draco arched his brows up questioningly while buttoning his pale blue cotton shirt. Harry shrugged. Now Draco's eyes narrowed suspiciously. He frowned uncertainly, shaking his soaked hair out of his face. Harry's eyes narrowed in response.

"Oh, come on, you can't be serious!" Draco said in exasperation. Harry nodded.

"I want breakfast," Draco whined. Harry tilted his head to the side.

"I'm not indulging you," Draco said with finality. "Go get dressed." Harry tried to stop his smile from showing as he shook his head.

"Potter!" Harry flipped Draco his two fingers, showing V's.

"Fuck you too." Harry nodded enthusiastically.

Draco rolled his eyes. "I'll be downstairs," he said. Harry pouted theatrically.

"It's too hot." Harry's pout exaggerated itself now.

"Potter..." Draco muttered, shaking his head at Harry and walking to the door. "You're going to miss breakfast," he said, opening the front door. It slammed shut. Draco frowned and opened the door again. It slammed shut. Draco turned around, his arms crossed on his chest. Harry's hand was outstretched, his palms pointing towards the door.

"I just had a bath," Draco grumbled as he tried a different strategy.

Harry moved his hand, causing Draco to be pulled towards the bed again. "Stop!" Draco said, his frown prominent on his face. Harry shook his head.

Draco huffed indignantly and put his own arm out. He stopped moving and Harry fell backwards onto the bed. He looked at Draco in amazement. "What, I'm not as helpless as you think," Draco said, miffed at Harry's surprised expression. Harry's hand reached out again but Draco didn't budge. Harry flipped over onto his side, his elbow propped on the pillow and his head resting against his palm. He waved his other hand at Draco. Draco lurched forward. He scowled at Harry and pushed his arm out. Harry didn't move. Harry's hand now formed a fist and he pulled it back. Draco yelped as he stumbled over his feet and landed on the bed heavily. All it took was a flip of Harry's hand to right Draco and hold him in place on the bed.

Harry crawled on top of him and pressed kisses along his neck. "No, not quite as helpless as I thought," Harry whispered, his fingers tangling in Draco's damp blond hair.

"This is not fair! You're forcing me!"

"I don't think it's forcing if I'm married to you," Harry responded, his hand gripping Draco's groin. Draco made a disparaging sound while trying to throw Harry off. He couldn't move, so he did the next best thing and growled. Harry whimpered at the sound, his arousal twitching.

"You're in so much trouble right now," Draco snarled.

"I know," Harry murmured, his lips against Draco's now. It was cold from the bath. Harry's half clothed body tried to get as close to Draco's cool body as it could. "I know," Harry breathed. "I want more."

"You won't get any," Draco said tauntingly. Harry's eyes opened and he pulled out of Draco's lips. A wide grin spread on his face, lighting his eyes. Draco frowned at Harry in puzzlement. Then the meaning of what he'd said struck. "N - no, th - that's not wh - what I meant," he stammered. Harry's grin grew wickeder by the second. "Potter, don't you dare!" Draco murmured, a flutter of heat spreading in his stomach even as he said it. Harry's hand massaged Draco's flaccid cock from atop the khakis.

"I won't get any, huh?" Harry murmured with purpose.

"No, you won't," Draco said as his breath hitched. "Nothing at all..."

Harry's hand stilled and Draco relaxed. "Hmm..." Harry said, sitting up on Draco's thighs with his hands pressing against Draco's chest. He felt under the sheets and drew out his wand.

"Potter, you put that away _right now_!"

"No," Harry said, mimicking Draco.

"Don't you -" before Draco could finish up, his clothes were gone and his arms were tied up against the headboard. He gasped as the magic touched him. If looks could maim, Harry would be limbless. "Potter," Draco hissed through gritted teeth. Harry shivered with arousal at Draco's voice.

"What?" he asked softly.

"Untie me," Draco said deliberately, putting in as much menace and murder into his voice as he could.

"I won't get any, huh?" Harry asked again as he pressed his naked chest against Draco's and kissed lips languidly. Draco whipped his head to the side. Harry didn't mind. He kept kissing Draco's cheek and his ear. "You smell wonderful..."

"Shut up, you."

"You taste even better."

Draco suppressed his shudder at Harry's low tone.

"You can be my breakfast."

Draco groaned unconsciously as Harry bucked into him. He quickly clamped his mouth shut, catching the rest of his sounds in his throat.

"No?"

Draco watched as Harry inched down his body, kissing and tasting whenever he wanted to.

"Let's have a bite, shall we?"

* * *

"I'm still mad."

Harry chuckled and waved his hand, untying Draco. Draco pulled his hands down and wrapped them around Harry. He flicked his tongue against Harry's wet lips, tasting the salt. Harry smiled and parted his mouth, inviting in Draco's tongue. Draco rolled Harry onto his back and kissed him soundly.

"How was breakfast?" Draco asked, moving his mouth out of Harry's lips with a smack.

"Perfect."

"Good. Because now I'm going to have mine," Draco said, brandishing Harry's wand and waving it. Harry's eyes widened and his mouth popped open. Draco shrugged with a look that said 'Told you so' and rolled off of Harry. Harry was tied against the bed and he was squirming as small spurts of shock ran through him. He was panting and moaning by the time Draco had finished dressing again. "See you in an hour," Draco said with a sweet smile. Harry whimpered as his arousal pushed painfully against his pajamas. Draco smirked and closed the door behind him.

* * *

"So..." Draco said as he walked into his hotel room.

Harry was bathed in sweat and he was crying out in agony and ecstasy as he thrashed on his bed. "Oh, thank god," he panted.

"Hmm? God?"

"I can't -" Harry started saying before his moan overwhelmed him.

"Aw, poor Harry can't come?" Draco asked with a pout. "How sad."

"Malfoy!" Harry barked as a strong push caused his back to arch.

"Nope."

"Fuck," Harry gasped.

"Nope."

"Please."

"Nope."

"Draco."

"Nope."

"Now..."

"Nope."

"I love you?"

"Is that a question?"

"No?"

"Hmm..." Draco contemplated.

"Not a question."

"Good," Draco muttered, flicking his wand at Harry. Harry let out a strangled yelp and he folded onto the bed. He wasn't given reprieve as Draco fell upon him with vengeance. Harry fisted the sheets as Draco sucked him sharply. He came hard, flooding Draco's mouth and pouring into Draco's throat. Harry yelled out Draco's name as he kept climaxing. His muscles cramped painfully and his erection throbbed inside Draco's mouth. His head was pounding with the force with which he was orgasming. Draco took it all in, lapping Harry up thirstily. Harry fell asleep as soon as his body gave up and emptied the last of its seed into Draco.

* * *

"Great spell," Harry murmured into Draco's chest as he awoke.

"I know."

"I'll have to use it on you."

"Hmm..."

Harry sighed with pleasure and ran his hand down Draco's chest. "Marvelous."

"Yes."

Harry smiled and opened his eyes to look up at Draco. "Oh, fuck..."

"Hmm? Now?"

"Erm..."

"No?"

Harry grinned as he rolled over and pulled Draco on top of him. He wrapped his wings around his husband, holding him close. "What does it take to shock you, Malfoy?"

"I've seen your wings enough to stop being shocked. You're going to have to try harder next time."

"Next time."

"Which could be now..."

"Now."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Draco muttered, crushing his bruising lips against Harry as his hands wandered down.


End file.
